Black Combat CEO Pyeong Hwa Park brings together two former UFC rivals for a final showdown at Gocheok Sky Dome on November 21.
Sixteen years after suffering one of the most painful defeats of his MMA career, Choo Sung Hoon will have one final opportunity to settle the score.
The Korean-Japanese MMA legend, widely known as “Sexyama,” is set to face former UFC middleweight Chris Leben at Black Combat 17: VANTABLACK on November 21, 2026, at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea. The highly anticipated rematch will serve as Choo’s retirement fight, bringing his professional MMA career to a close more than two decades after it began.
During a recent interview with Black Combat CEO Pyeong Hwa Park, Choo opened up about his decision to return to the cage, the importance of finishing his career on his own terms, and why facing an opponent who previously defeated him represents the ultimate challenge.
For Choo, this final fight is about more than revenge. It is about rediscovering the competitor within himself.
Finding Meaning Beyond Fame
At 51 years old, Choo has become a recognizable figure beyond combat sports, building a successful entertainment career through television appearances, variety shows, and social media.
Despite that success, the former UFC fighter admitted that something had been missing from his life.
“Throughout my fighting career, there were times when, for a while, I did a lot of variety shows and things like that,” Choo explained. “People got to see that side of me a lot, and honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
However, the attention and financial success did not necessarily translate into personal fulfillment.
“Sometimes, when I looked at myself, I felt like something was missing,” he continued. “Does making money give you substance? No. There has to be respect for myself.”
Choo explained that his desire to return to competition ultimately came from his need to remain true to his identity as a fighter.
“I’m a competitor at heart. I’m a fighter. So I have to respect who I am.”
That realization led him to reach out to Black Combat, a promotion he believes has been making significant strides in developing Korean MMA.
Interestingly, when Park asked why Choo specifically chose to hold his retirement fight in South Korea rather than with a major international promotion, Choo declined to reveal his reasoning.
“On that matter, I’ll tell you after the fight,” he said, leaving one of the biggest questions surrounding his retirement unanswered.
The Search for a Worthy Final Opponent
While Choo had already committed to making his final appearance under the Black Combat banner, finding the right opponent proved far more complicated than anticipated.
According to Park, the promotion explored several high-profile possibilities, including Wanderlei Silva, Jérôme Le Banner, Kazushi Sakuraba’s former rival Kazuo Misaki, Vitor Belfort, and Michael Bisping.
The goal was not simply to secure a recognizable name. Park wanted an opponent who could provide a meaningful and competitive conclusion to Choo’s career.
Choo made the matchmaking process easier in one respect: he had no interest in an easy fight.
“You kept telling us, ‘Don’t worry. Put up a strong fighter against me. I don’t need an easy opponent,'” Park recalled.
That willingness to face a difficult challenge eventually shaped the promotion’s approach.
Why Wanderlei Silva Fell Through
The first major candidate was former PRIDE middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva.
According to Park, Choo had previously expressed interest in facing Silva, who had responded positively to an open challenge on social media.
The two were originally scheduled to meet during their UFC careers, but the matchup was canceled after Silva suffered an injury.
Black Combat believed the history between the fighters could provide a compelling storyline for Choo’s final appearance.
However, negotiations encountered two significant obstacles.
First was the size difference. Choo revealed that he currently weighs approximately 90 kilograms, while Silva reportedly weighs more than 100 kilograms.
Despite the disparity, Choo insisted that the weight difference would not be a problem.
The larger issue was financial.
Park claimed that Silva requested an exceptionally high fight purse, exceeding what the promotion considered commercially reasonable.
Although Black Combat was initially willing to accommodate a substantial financial demand, the negotiations ultimately collapsed.
Park also questioned whether Silva’s recent performances would produce the kind of competitive fight that Choo deserved.
“The fight itself has to be something special,” Park explained, emphasizing that he did not want Choo’s retirement bout to become an exhibition built primarily around recognizable names.
Other Legends Considered
Following the unsuccessful negotiations with Silva, Black Combat turned its attention to other opponents from Choo’s past.
One possibility was French kickboxing legend Jérôme Le Banner, who defeated Choo early in his MMA career.
Choo recalled facing Le Banner in only his second professional MMA appearance, despite weighing approximately 85 kilograms against an opponent who was considerably larger.
The promotion contacted Le Banner, who reportedly expressed interest. However, negotiations once again stalled over financial demands.
Kazuo Misaki was another intriguing candidate, particularly because of the history between the two fighters.
According to Park, Misaki declined the opportunity, explaining that he genuinely supported Choo and preferred to see him succeed rather than return to competition against him.
Vitor Belfort was also considered, but Park cited concerns regarding the former UFC champion’s history involving performance-enhancing drugs.
Michael Bisping, meanwhile, was ruled out due to his previous eye surgery and his ongoing work as a UFC commentator.
With several possibilities eliminated, Park admitted that the pressure to secure a suitable opponent was growing.
Then the promotion turned to Chris Leben.
Chris Leben: Sixteen Years of Unfinished Business
The decision to pursue Leben came after Black Combat settled on a central theme for the event: revenge.
Inspired by the film V for Vendetta, Park wanted Choo’s final opponent to be someone who had previously defeated him.
The concept would allow Choo to close his career by confronting a painful chapter from his past.
Leben, nicknamed “The Crippler,” immediately emerged as a compelling option.
When Black Combat approached the former UFC middleweight about the matchup, Park said Leben was receptive.
Choo’s reaction to the announcement was equally enthusiastic.
“Yeah, very happy,” he responded when Park revealed that Leben had been selected.
Although Choo had initially prioritized simply returning to competition, he admitted that the opportunity for revenge had always been in the back of his mind.
“I also had this desire to fight someone I had lost to before,” Choo explained.
“I lost to him once and to fight him again this time, I think that’s the biggest challenge for me. To beat the man who beat me.”
The Triangle Choke That Changed Everything
The history between Choo and Leben dates back to July 3, 2010, at UFC 116 in Las Vegas.
The two middleweights delivered an entertaining three-round battle that earned Fight of the Night honors.
For much of the contest, Choo appeared to be in a favorable position. However, with approximately 20 seconds remaining in the third round, Leben secured a triangle choke and forced him to submit.
The defeat became one of the defining disappointments of Choo’s UFC career.
During the interview, Choo revealed just how significant that moment had been.
According to Choo, a victory over Leben could have positioned him for a future opportunity against then-UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.
“After that fight, I was supposed to cut weight and fight GSP,” Choo recalled.
He admitted that he had already begun thinking about how he would approach that potential matchup.
But in the closing moments against Leben, he made a costly mistake.
“Then, with about 20 seconds left in the fight, I thought, ‘Okay, I’m good now. I won.’ That’s where things went wrong.”
Park suggested that Choo may have become too comfortable because he was performing well in the grappling exchanges against an opponent primarily known for his striking.
Choo acknowledged the mistake but jokingly suggested that Leben had been fortunate to secure the submission.
“He got lucky,” Choo said, drawing laughter from Park.
Sixteen years later, the loss remains an opportunity Choo wishes he could revisit.
Now, he finally can.
A Dangerous Opponent Under Old-School Rules
Despite both fighters being well beyond their athletic primes, Park emphasized that Leben should not be underestimated.
The former UFC veteran continued competing in bare-knuckle boxing after his MMA career, where he put together a three-fight winning streak.
Park also pointed out that Leben is younger than Choo and has competed more recently, potentially giving him an advantage in timing and conditioning.
The fight is expected to take place at approximately 89 kilograms, according to their discussion.
Adding another dimension to the matchup will be Black Combat’s ruleset, which Park described as resembling the old PRIDE Fighting Championships format.
He specifically mentioned soccer kicks and stomps as techniques permitted under the promotion’s rules.
For Choo, who competed during the height of Japanese MMA, the rules could bring back memories of his earlier career.
However, Park questioned whether the former elite judoka might finally lean more heavily on his grappling background rather than engaging in the striking exchanges that became a trademark of his MMA career.
Choo’s answer was simple.
“It’s more comfortable,” he said when asked why he prefers fighting with his fists.
Park laughed at the response, recognizing that Choo’s aggressive fighting style has always been part of his appeal.
Regardless of the risks, Choo welcomed the challenge presented by Leben.
“Of course it does,” he said when asked whether the matchup puts pressure on him. “But isn’t that what makes it exciting?”
The Final Walk to the Cage
While much of the conversation focused on the opponent selection process, one of the interview’s most personal moments came when Park asked Choo about his earlier retirement announcement at Bucheon Gymnasium.
Choo had entered the packed venue wearing his judo uniform as his familiar entrance music played.
The moment drew an emotional response from the crowd, but Choo revealed that the experience carried an even deeper meaning for him.
He realized that he would only have one more opportunity to make that walk as a professional fighter.
“When I walk out for my next fight, that’ll be the final walk,” Choo said.
“And that walk… I’ll never get to feel it again.”
He described the experience of approaching the cage as something impossible to replicate anywhere else in life.
Every step toward the cage had suddenly become precious.
For a fighter who has spent more than two decades competing, the realization that those moments are coming to an end has brought conflicting emotions.
“I’m excited and I’m scared too,” Choo admitted.
“Can I really do this? You know, those thoughts come too.”
Despite those uncertainties, Choo believes returning to the cage is necessary to complete his journey as a competitor.
More Than a Retirement Fight for Black Combat
The November 21 event also represents an important milestone for Black Combat as the promotion continues its efforts to expand its presence in Korean and international MMA.
Gocheok Sky Dome, one of South Korea’s largest indoor venues, provides a major stage for the promotion’s most ambitious event yet.
For Park, securing Choo’s retirement fight is about more than ticket sales or attracting international attention.
He believes Choo’s willingness to put himself on the line can help elevate Korean MMA.
Choo, meanwhile, expressed a similar ambition.
After receiving an overwhelming response from friends, fans, and fellow fighters following his retirement announcement, he said he had developed a personal attachment to Black Combat’s future.
“Even after my fight is over, I want this event, this organization, to become something known around the world,” Choo explained.
“I hope it becomes that kind of organization.”
The veteran also said he feels a responsibility to contribute to the promotion’s growth beyond his final appearance.
It was a significant statement from a fighter who has competed for some of the most recognizable organizations in combat sports.
One Last Victory
As the interview concluded, Park encouraged Choo to give everything he had in preparation for November 21.
But Choo made it clear that simply stepping into the cage would not be enough.
For him, remaining true to himself means competing with the intention of winning.
“Just showing up to fight, just making the decision, I don’t think that’s enough to stay true to myself,” Choo said.
“I’m going to fight here, and I don’t know how it’ll all end, but I believe winning is how I stay true to myself.”
It is a fitting mindset for a competitor whose career has been defined by challenging some of the toughest fighters of his generation.
Sixteen years ago, Chris Leben denied Choo a victory in the final seconds of a fight that could have changed the trajectory of his UFC career.
On November 21, Choo will have the opportunity to confront that moment one final time.
There will be no championship on the line, no rankings to climb, and no future opponent waiting.
Just two veterans, an old rivalry, and one last chance to rewrite history.
For Choo Sung Hoon, the final fight is not simply about saying goodbye.
It is about earning the ending he wants.
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