By Kelsey Mowatt

Following back-to-back losses to Jesse Taylor and Seung Bae Whi in May and July respectively, UFC and Pride veteran Denis Kang has decided to take some time off from active competition and recharge himself both mentally and physically. Although Kang began the 2011 campaign with a unanimous decision win over Eun Soo Lee, the accomplished middleweight admits that he’s felt burnt out for much of the year.

“I did three fights in four months so I think I that was a bit of a mistake on my part,” Kang told FCF. “Trying to cram all that training and all those fights in such a short amount of time was hard on the body and the mind really…I want to take a bit of a break, so all I’m doing right now is training and I’m also teaching once or twice a week at MMA FA in Kanata, Ottawa.”

Since Kang was released from the UFC, following his TKO loss to Michael Bisping in November, 2009, the 33 year-old-fighter has now gone 2-2-1.

“Really I was not motivated for any of those fights at all this year,” said Kang. “I didn’t really care. I didn’t train like I normally do, I didn’t go in there with a do or die attitude…Before I got burnt out from doing all those fights I was already kind of weary to be honest. Now I’m training a little bit less because I don’t have a fight, just maintaining.”

“I want to re-charge and get that fire again,” Kang added. “I don’t want to retire at all; I’ve been fighting a long time but I know I still have that in me to go out there and show my skills. I need that desire to get up and train, and to go out there and fight and do whatever I got to do to win a fight. We’re only human; we only have so much tough guy in us. I think for this year maybe I’ve reached my quota.”

As a result, Kang has his sights set on December as a possible date for his return.

“We’re in talks with Road FC, but it might not be,” said Kang, while discussing his next bout. “When I want to fight is December, and I don’t have problems finding fights, so if I want to fight then I’m fairly confident I can find something.”

The loss to Seung Bae Whi took place under the Road FC banner in South Korea, and although Kang attempted to battle through a badly swollen eye during the bout, Whi eventually finished the veteran off with a series of knees.

“It had a little bit of influence because I couldn’t really see because the eye was swollen shut,” Kang noted. “The main thing for that fight was that I got mad, I got really frustrated with him and just started to brawl with him, like I was drunk. I never do that. I don’t want to do that. It’s not a safe fight…Unfortunately I was on the losing end and he caught me with some good shots.”

While Kang has competed for many prominent organizations during his extensive career, one promotion he has yet to fight for his Bellator FC, which has added many established fighters to its roster.

“I love Bellator,” Kang said. “I know Bjorn (Rebney) and he’s a good guy. We talked to him just before I went to the UFC. We were in talks with Bellator, I’d love to do that again, but it didn’t work out and I went to the UFC. If it were to happen again, you never know, it’s up to my manager.”