Beneath the historic Olympic cauldron at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, 7-foot-2-inch, 355-pound mixed martial arts fighter Hong Man Choi stomped to his place on stage.

“The coliseum is giant and so am I,” said the 26-year-old from South Korea via an interpreter at a March press conference. “I hope to live up to the expectations.”

On June 2, Choi will take on former wrestler and NFL player Brock Lesnar in a fight dubbed the “world’s biggest carnival of carnage.” For the first time, the K-1 Dynamite mixed martial arts series, already hugely popular in Korea, will make its way to the U.S., taking center stage at the 100,000-capacity coliseum. The fight will be aired on Showtime pay-per-view.

Choi participated in ssireum (Korean-style wrestling) before making the switch to mixed martial arts, a combat sport that involves a variety of fighting techniques, including striking and grappling. Last year, he won his first MMA fight on the K-1 Dynamite circuit in Osaka, Japan, beating former TV star Bobby Ologun in just 16 seconds.

In Korea, the blonde-streaked sensation received the nickname “Techno Goliath” as a ssireum wrestler, as he would do a little dance after each victory. He said a new dance is in the works for the June 2 event.  

The televised fight will also headline MMA pioneer Royce Gracie and former USC wide receiver and NFL star Johnnie Morton. Choi, wearing a rhinestone-encrusted necklace that spelled out his name, said his strength is his confidence.

“This will be a great match,” Choi said. “I will challenge them all.” 

 

— Michelle Woo