Dong Hyun Kim Gunning for Rematch with Demian Maia

Dong Hyun Kim picked up his seventh win in the Octagon on Saturday, but it was this one that was most impressive.

The Korean has been criticized in the past during many victories for a slow, methodical style that mostly ends up with him on top of an opponent, controlling the fight on the ground.

While his fight against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Paulo Thiago did hit the mat quite often, he did anything but just lay there and control the action. From a rear naked choke attempt to a D’Arce choke to his “Donkey Kong” style punches in the final round, Kim was aggressive and dominant in a whole new way.

Kim has been quoted in the past as saying that traveling long distances, like his normal trip from Korea to the United States, is a draining excursion and between the time difference and the long trip, he’s never able to get back to 100-percent before fighting.

But with his fight against Thiago in China, which is not far from Kim’s native Korea, the results showed in his performances was less travel and no jet lag can do for a fighter.

“It was a complete difference, the time difference between the United States and Asia, fighting here is just the difference between night and day,” Kim said when speaking to Fuel TV after the fight.

Now with a newly minted dominant win on his record, Kim already has his eyes set on what opponent he wants next, and it’s the same person he fought prior to Saturday in China.

Kim is gunning for a rematch against Demian Maia, after their first fight ended when the Brazilian went for a takedown, and once on the ground Kim was already out of the fight after suffering a rib injury. On his record however, the fight counts as a loss even though Kim and Maia barely engaged during the brief 47 seconds the fight lasted.

Now Kim is ready for another chance to go after Maia in the Octagon.

“Demian Maia,” Kim responded when asked who he wanted to fight next. “I want Demian Maia.”