Will Techno Fighter Choi Leave K-1?

Is Choi Hong-man, the 26-year-old fighter also known as “Techno Goliath,” leaving K-1?

Mixed martial arts fighter Choi, a former ssireum player, or Korean folklore wrestling, and currently at the peak of his popularity, implied that he might leave the K-1 martial arts league. With two years left until he enlists in the military, Choi is in a situation in which he has to reap the most fruits in the remaining time span.

A close associate of Choi commented about his future, “If he dislikes the contract with K-1, he might seek another way.” Choi will start negotiations on his contract at the end of this year until early January 2007, and conclude his new contract with K-1.

Choi’s popularity as well as spectator attraction capability is the highest in K-1.

After beating Bob Sapp, the most popular fighter in K-1, and unexpectedly beating K-1 World Grand Prix champion Semmy Schilt on June 3, Choi has developed into a world-class fighter. Korean and foreign K-1 officials estimate that Choi has the possibility of receiving over three billion won over a two-year contract renewal. The factors that hiked his price are that he alone brought a mixed martial arts boom to Korea, a country where the sport was virtually unheard of, and hence opening a new market, as well as being an Asian fighter powerful enough to challenge the champion belt, which has been monopolized by whites and blacks.

Besides the contract money, Choi also has other significant sources of revenue such as fight money and commercials appearances.

It is reported that he will reach a final agreement with K-1, considering such secondary revenues. Presently, Choi’s fight money per match is estimated to be around 100 million won. A close associate of Choi said, “We can’t tell the exact amount. Sometimes he receives a set amount of money, and sometimes it changes according to K-1’s circumstances.” However, they forecasted, “Choi’s performance in the K-1 World Grand Prix tournament that starts in the second half of this year will decide the outcome of the negotiations.”

Choi’s strategy is to demonstrate his greatest performance in the second half of this year and receive the best possible deal. However, the Achilles heel of Choi is his mandatory military service, which has yet to be completed.

He is currently attending Donga Graduate School, but he can’t postpone serving his military duty past December 2006. Graduate school students can defer their military service until they are 26. Therefore, from next year, Choi will have to serve in the military as a public service worker. Public service workers are restricted from playing in professional sports. Under the current system, Choi can postpone his military duty for a maximum of two years, using all types of reasons. In other words, with a maximum of two years remaining, Choi is running out of time.

So for Choi, the best choice would be to wager everything in the latter half of this year to achieve the best record and then sign a jackpot contract.

If negotiations with K-1 are unsatisfactory and Choi decides to look for another option, it is very possible that he will choose to go to Pride, the rival league of K-1. It is also because it can afford to pay the most to Choi. However, it will be a great risk for Choi to choose to fight in Pride. Unlike K-1, where punches and kicks are exchanged, fighters in Pride can also wrestle on the ground, and Choi will have to start many new things from scratch.

Choi is scheduled to fight against former sumo champion Akebono for the third time on July 30 in Sapporo, Japan, and it will be broadcasted by MBC ESPN.