Choi Hong-man

Choi Hong -man ( born October 30, 1980 in Jeju -si ), often called Hong -man Choi in the West, is a South Korean MMA fighter and former Ssirum wrestler. With 2.18 m body length and up to 166 kg fighting weight he applies, however, for many fans only as an attraction, as in boxing the 2.13 m wide and up to 150 -pound Nikolai Valuev. As Ssirum wrestler Choi was thanks to his height, he also owes his Korean nickname " Techno Goliath" ( he got that nickname also due to its early 2008 always blond dyed hair ), achieve great success. The Japanese call it "Korean Colossus " and "Korean Monster" as he frequently "Che Man" ( based on He- Man) is called in the West or the United States. It is the largest and heaviest in the overall package professional martial artist in the world.

K- 1 career

Since his K- 1 debut at the World GP 2005 in Seoul, which he won with victories over Wakashoyo, Akebono and Kaoklai Kaennorsing, he lost in the same year only one fight, against the two-time K- 1 champion Remy Bonjasky. It was a defeat on points.

In World GP 2006 in Seoul he won, albeit controversial, its been amazing victory: He beat the reigning K- 1 champion Semmy Schilt with a 2-1 decision point, however, many of the award to the Home Bonus Choi.

September 30, 2006 Choi lost very controversial at the final elimination to the World Grand Prix Final against Frenchman Jérôme Le Banner. The fight was scored a draw after three rounds, and after a round of elongation saying the judges to win Le Banner to. This said at the press conference following: "He is dangerous, his knees are already almost at the level of my head, he is not human! But he 's a good guy and I like him, he is very strong, perhaps the strongest K-1 fighter, and he has hard bones - when I kicked it, did my leg hurt me! I 'm sure he can be knocked out with more experience in two years by anyone! "

At the World Grand Prix in Yokohama on 4 March 2007 Choi suffered their first and only knockout loss against American Mighty Mo. In an interview, almost half a year later conceded the Koreans, he was not in this fight in shape and have not trained.

On 28 April 2007 he won the World Grand Prix in Hawaii a superfight against Mike Malone by Ko in the second round.

On June 2, 2007 Choi was at the event " K-1 Dynamite" at the Olympic Stadium in Las Vegas fight against former professional wrestler Brock Lesnar, who made his debut in K-1. The fight should have taken place according to the rules of the Mixed Martial Arts. Just two weeks before the event, however, it became known that Choi by the California Athletic Commission got no license, because they found a tumor in his head. The South Korean CEO Officer, Jeong Yeon -soo, put a protest against the decision, as it would have in Japan and Korea from this tumor and if it had never been there problems.

On August 5, 2007, in the Asia Grand Prix in Hong Kong, he beat Gary Goodridge with a convincing performance by TKO in round 1. Noteworthy in this fight was his style. So far, he always fought in the left display (Normal display ), this time in the right display. This was a strategy of his supervising him since the beginning of 2006 coach, the former K-1 fighter Kin Taiei to block better its strong right punch hand in a possible re-match with Mighty Mo can.

In the final elimination in 2007 on 29 September, he defeated right display struggling Mighty Mo, who taught him so far the only knockout loss, a 2-0 decision on points. But the decision was very controversial, because Choi kicked Mo in the second round in the genitals. However, the referee did not see this and counted on this. Without this gross misjudgment of Americans would most likely clearly won on points, because it could accommodate a lot of hard hands on Choi's head while this anbrachte few hits. After the fight in the interview Mighty Mo said: "He seemed to be a bit stronger. I hit him with a few hard blows, really harder than in our first fight, but this time he did not go to the ground, which surprised me. "Unlike the first meeting for which Choi admitted to have not trained, he worked this time austrainiert and in shape.

On December 8, the K -1 World Grand Prix 2007 Final in Tokyo Choi met again on Jérôme Le Banner. Was the first duel still very balanced, he could not make open the second fight. He lost a unanimous 3-0 decision. Before the battle, he brought a new maximum weight of 166.6 kg on the scales.

After he played his last fight on New Year's Eve 2007, Choi made ​​his comeback at the K-1 Final Elimination on September 27, 2008. Opponent was the reigning heavyweight champion Badr Hari of Morocco. The Koreans lost the fight by technical knockout because he could no longer compete for the extra round due to a rib injury, which came about through body hits the opponent. After three rounds, two of the three judges had a draw, and the third the Korean front. In the second round Choi, who brought a new minimum weight on the scale with 149 kg succeeded, and in his own words for the first time in eight years occurred without dyed hair, the only precipitation of the fight, when he struck down the Moroccans with a left counter and this was one.

In the K -1 Final Tournament 6 December 2008 Choi denied the first reserve fight against Ray Sefo, he clearly lost on points.

After four defeats in a row in the K- 1, K-1 Organizer Tanikawa said after the final tournament in early December 2008 to Choi's future in the martial arts: "K -1 has become faster, making it more difficult for tall people like Hong -man Choi makes to keep up. We see whether it is not better to place him in the future in MMA. " Since this statement Choi has no K-1 fight was over and now fights exclusively in MMA. He stands in the Japanese League " DREAM " under contract.

Military service

The beginning of 2008 should Choi his military service, which lasts 22 months serve. However, after he failed in two eye tests, he was released from service. It has been found that the visual impairment is due to the tumor, which is responsible for its acromegaly. On 9 June 2008, the tumor was surgically removed.

MMA Career

December 31, 2006, Choi made ​​his debut in a fight according to the rules and regulations of the Mixed Martial Arts ( Mixed Martial Arts). In the K-1 Dynamite event he beat Bobby Ologun already after 16 seconds of the first round co. , It was one of the fastest knockouts of all time.

On New Year's Eve 2007, he has fought in Japan against the MMA heavyweight champ Fedor Emelianenko. Emelianenko won the fight by an armbar after 1.56 minutes of the first round.

New Year's Eve in 2008 at K-1 Dynamite, he fought against Mirko Filipovic. After a kick to the knee of Filipovic, who wore shoes in the fight, Choi could not get up and lost the fight by technical knockout.

On 26 May 2009 he defeated in the quarter- finals of the " Super Hulk Tournament " at " DREAM 9" the former baseball player Jose Canseco by TKO after 1:17 of the first round.

At the event " DREAM 11 " on 6 October 2009, he lost in the semifinals against the Japanese " Minowaman " in the 2nd round by a foot lever.

Others

Since 2006 he occurs every now and then with the South Korean singer Kang Su- hee as the duet " The Beauty and the Beast " as a rapper on.

He wears his surname " Choi " since 2008 as a tattoo on the left upper arm.

In the published in 2009 Japanese film The Legend Of Goemon he made his debut in the film business.

Currently, he appeared regularly in the Japanese entertainment show Pokémon Smash! (Japaneseポケモン スマッシュ! ) than moderator. The show runs every Sunday morning at 7:30 clock Japanese local time on TV Tokyo.

Title

  • 2001: DchozN World Challenge '01
  • 2002: King of Iron Fist Tournament '02
  • 2003: Jinan Competition '03
  • 2003: The General Championship '03
  • 2004: Jungwal Competition '04
  • 2004: Hamyang Competition '04
  • 2005: K-1 WORLD GP 2005 in Seoul Champion
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