UFC president Dana White announced late last week that Chan Sung Jung, a.k.a. "The Korean Zombie," replaced the injured Anthony Pettis against Jose Aldo at UFC 163.

Following the announcement, MMAFighting.com reached out to Jung, via his manager Brian Rhee, to ask five questions regarding the Aug. 3 title fight. His answers might surprise you.

Ariel Helwani: What was your reaction when you heard you were now fighting Aldo?

Chan Sung Jung: I was jumping around. I was so excited. At first, when my manager told me, I didn't believe him. I thought he was playing a joke on me. I couldn't fall asleep until I saw Dana White's tweet about the fight.



Considering the fact that you haven't fought since May 2012, are you worried your extended time off will affect you?

Actually, I think the time off has helped me in a couple of different ways. It's helped me get rid of a couple of nagging injuries and, even more so, it's really got me motivated to get back in to the Octagon. The time off has made me stir crazy, so I'm incredibly motivated to train hard and get back into action.

How long did it take for you to feel like you were back to full strength following last year's shoulder surgery?

I got back into shape preparing for Ricardo Lamas. I'm in fighting shape right now, so the extra month is only going to help me get stronger and focus on Jose Aldo.



Do you feel bad for Lamas since he didn't get the title shot?

I do feel bad about it. I honestly think he was next in line, due to my time off, but I was told I was getting the next title shot after the Poirier fight. While I do feel bad for him, I wouldn't give this opportunity up for the world.



What's the key to defeating Aldo?

I think we all know that, objectively, his technique is impeccable. So, I think it comes down to the intangibles -- the mental game. That's where I have to beat him.