‘Mr. Perfect’ Kang Kyung Ho (36) is back in the hunt for his third straight UFC victory.

On Nov. 19 (ET) at UFC Fight Night: Alan vs. Craig at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, Kang faces “Sexy Mexican” John Castañeda (31, USA) in the bantamweight division (61.2 kg).

He sees this as his final test to break into the rankings. Kang is in good form with two straight wins. In March, he impressed by finishing Christian Quiñones (MEX) with a rear-naked choke at 2:25 of the first round. He believes another impressive win will give him a chance to break into the rankings.

“If I win with a finish this time, I think I can call out a ranker,” Kang said, “I want to call out Chris Gutierrez (32, USA) or Ricky Simon (31, USA), who are near the top 15.” “The goal is always to be a champion, but now it’s good to focus on one fight, one fight, and have a great fight. Then I think I can meet and fight a good player.”

Along with Park Jun-yong (32), Kang is the closest South Korean to breaking into the rankings. The retirement of “Korean Zombie” Chung Chan Sung (36) leaves South Korea without a single UFC ranked fighter. That’s one reason why Kang Kyung-ho, the most experienced South Korean fighter who debuted in the UFC in 2013, is so determined.

His opponent, Castañeda, is a Mexican-American fighter and wellrounder with a wrestling background. He is very experienced with a career record of 20-6 (3-2 UFC). Kang described his opponent as a polished fighter who embodies the flow of modern mixed martial arts (MMA). “I watched Castaneda’s fight, and he’s smart. He’s a fighter with all the skills that modern MMA fighters have, like level changes and spatial movement,” he warned.

But as a family man, he can’t back down. His wife and newborn son fuel his desire to win. “Now that I’m married and have a baby, I feel like I’ve grown from a child to an adult,” he said. “I have a different mindset now, so I’ll work out a plan with my coach and make sure I finish.”

Striking is also a weapon that Kang has prepared for this time. The UFC bantamweight champion is ranked No. 1 in ground position control in the UFC, and while she boasts strong wrestling, she is now a professional striker. Danaa Badgerel (34, Mongolia) messed up his face with a jab, and Quiñones knocked him down with a front check hook counterpunch.

“굿모닝토토 I was playing a grappling-oriented game, so even if I won, it was a bit boring, so I switched to striking, and it’s definitely more fun for the viewers, more fun for me, and less physically demanding,” Kang said. “I plan to overwhelm him with strikes first, and then go to the ground and actively look for submissions,” he said of his strategy.

Finally, Kang said, “I’ll be playing in November, and I’m really confident and preparing hard. I will definitely show you a hot match like last time, so please tune in and watch.”

Kang’s MMA career record is 19-9-1 (8-2-1 UFC). He holds the UFC record for most wins by an active South Korean fighter (8).