*This content was translated by AI.
Choi Hong-man, who is active as a broadcaster, will return to martial arts in a surprise move.
According to Jeon Yong-jae, secretary-general of the Korea MMA Federation (Chairman Jeon Jae-won) on the 26th, Choi Hong-man was officially appointed in December as the vice chairman of the Korea MMA Federation, which recently applied for membership of the Korea Sports Association. This is the first official return to the martial arts stage in seven years since 2019.
Having suddenly moved to the Japanese K-1 stage after conquering the Korean wrestling community in the past, he now designs the future of Korean martial arts in the administrative seat, not in the ring.
Vice Chairman Choi Hong-man was listed after the federation's official procedures, and his symbolism and global network are expected to be a major driver for strengthening the federation's external influence.
The key background of this return is the Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, in September 2026. With MMA being adopted as an official event for the first time in the history of the Asian Games, Choi Hong-man took on the heavy responsibility of leading his entry into the Korean Sports Council as vice president of the Korean MMA Federation, laying the groundwork for the Asian Games.
He will play a pivotal role in establishing administrative guidelines such as ▲ expanding the base of mixed martial arts ▲ establishing a transparent national team selection system ▲ fostering players with a system and protecting rights and interests.
Choi Hong-man is considered the best person to prepare for the Asian Games in Japan, as he knows the physiology of Japanese martial arts better than anyone else.
According to officials, he returned to the broadcasting and entertainment industry in 2025 after living a quiet life on Jeju Island and began to receive public love again. In particular, he won the Rookie of the Year award at the MBC Entertainment Awards in 2025 and set a special record of winning the Rookie of the Year award in two categories following the Ssireum Rookie of the Year award 20 years ago.
He showed his unwavering affection for martial arts even during his broadcasting career, and vowed to "make sure to play his last retirement game for his fans." Accordingly, it is expected that he will work as an administrator and at the same time prepare to achieve a successful ending as a player.
Choi Hong-man is determined to devote his remaining energy to establishing himself as an "elite sport" that is proudly recognized as an official event at the Asian Games, not just a "fight."
Attention is now focusing on whether the administration will be able to lead MMA to settle in the institutional sphere and even win the Asian Games gold medal.
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*This content was translated by AI.
