ONE Championship: ‘Sexyama’ Choo Sung-hoon wants MMA title after ‘Physical 100’, will ‘fight until I’m 50’
- Korean-Japanese MMA veteran set for return to action after stealing the show with a ringside appearance in Singapore
- ONE is looking to stage its first event in South Korea later this year, with 48-year-old Choo a likely candidate to headline card
“Sexyama” has no time to waste as he bids to make an improbable – and inspiring – comeback to the ONE Championship cage, and it could even be in South Korea.
The 48-year-old got the biggest crowd reaction of the morning when he was shown on screen sitting ringside for last Saturday’s ONE Fight Night 8 event at Singapore Indoor Stadium. He had earlier held an official meet and greet with fans before the event’s lead card got under way, posing for pictures and signing autographs.
He was also mobbed by local media after the show – but not before he had a quick chat with ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong inside the Circle once the broadcast was over, amid a layer of confetti that lay on the canvas.
“I was able to catch up with Chatri in Singapore. Let’s bring this greatest show to Korea soon!” Sexyama said. “Chatri told me to become ONE world champion. I will keep doing my best. Age is just a number! Let’s go!”
“I’m positive I’m going to see the view from the top of the world,” Sexyama added in another post. “I do not have any time.”
The Post later caught up with Chatri backstage in Singapore Indoor Stadium, the same venue Sexyama last fought in a year ago when he stopped Japanese legend Shinya Aoki in the second round.
The ONE boss confirmed he has plans to take his promotion to South Korea for the first time this year. If it finally happens, then Sexyama – who has two wins and one decision loss since joining ONE in 2019 – would be a strong contender to top the bill.
“Yes, he wants to fight again for sure, he’s ready to go,” Chatri said. “We were talking about potential opponents today, so there are big plans, and I still want to do a Korea event.
“This is something I really want to do, and I want to do it this year. I can tell you that if a few of our big discussions going on right now are conclusive, then we will throw a big Korea event. But it’s definitely in the plans.”
Sexyama’s positive reception in Singapore certainly continued a theme, after he was swarmed by media in Hong Kong during a quick visit from Japan last Thursday en route to Singapore.
During his stay, he filmed an advert for the Hong Kong Tourism Board, in which he enjoyed tasting some dim sum and hotpot, as well as getting a new tailored suit.
A former UFC star and judo gold medallist at the Asian Games, Sexyama told the Post he has no plans to retire any time soon.
“I’m 48 now and I want to compete at least until the age of 50,” he said, via translator.
“I think I want to fight once this year, but I guess there may be an event in South Korea so I’m going to focus on that. There has been no confirmation of anything yet though.”
Sexyama’s popularity has skyrocketed since his appearance on South Korean reality television hit Physical: 100, which trended at No 1 on Netflix in several Asian countries.
His following on Instagram has more than doubled to three quarters of a million, and he said he has been receiving “more than 1,000 direct messages” from fans every day since the show first aired in January.
Despite being much older than most of his fellow competitors, Sexyama made it to the penultimate challenge on the show, which pitted 100 Korea-based fitness fanatics against each other in various gruelling physical challenges.
“I was so honoured to do this but my challenge is still going on,” he added. “I want to tell everyone that even though they are getting older, you can still do it.
“I really wanted to compete in the final, but I think I have given courage to people in their 40s and 50s all over the world.”
