Advertisement
Tom Taylor

The Takedown | ‘Sexyama’ Choo Sung-hoon’s soaring popularity is ONE Championship’s ticket into South Korea

  • The 47-year-old MMA veteran has transformed from cult hero to mainstream celebrity after a stint on the Netflix hit ‘Physical: 100’
  • ONE should capitalise on Japanese-Korean’s exploding popularity with an event in Seoul, which has been in the works since 2019

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
‘Sexyama’ watches from ringside at ONE Fight Night 8 in Singapore. Photo: Instagram/@akiyamachoo

ONE Championship has had its eyes on South Korea for years, but the promotion has yet to promote an event in the country.

Advertisement
With Japanese-Korean MMA veteran Choo Sung-hoon enjoying unprecedented superstardom in the country – and across Southeast Asia – after a stint on the Netflix hit Physical: 100, there has never been a better time.

Choo (16-7), also known as Yoshihiro Akiyama, and more commonly by the nickname “Sexyama”, was one of the most popular competitors on the series, which saw 100 Korea-based fitness enthusiasts and athletes compete against each other in demanding physical challenges.

Despite being 47 years old, and having a long and gruelling MMA career behind him, he was also one of the most successful competitors on the show, which trended No 1 on Netflix in several Asian countries.

Sexyama’s social media following has exploded since the show first aired in January, transforming him from a cult hero among hardcore MMA fans into a mainstream celebrity. ONE, with whom he is under exclusive contract, stands to benefit greatly from his massive popularity, particularly as it pertains to expanding in Korea.

 

The promotion has had plans for the country for years, and even scheduled an event in the capital city of Seoul on December 20, 2019. That debut was pushed back – and then postponed indefinitely as the Covid-19 pandemic began to grip the world – but the delay is beginning to look serendipitous.

loading
Advertisement