Veteran wrestler Kim Nam-hoon returns to MMA commentary after 6 years

Professional wrestler and commentator Kim Nam-hoon, 52, is returning to the mixed martial arts commentary booth for the first time in six years.

TFC recently named Kim as a commentator for "TFC 24 Breakthrough," set for Friday at the Event Hall on the third floor of the Textile Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The event will be broadcast live on sports channel IB Sports.

Kim's last MMA commentary assignment was AFC (Angels Fighting Championship) in 2020. He began calling UFC bouts in 2007 and was behind the microphone for the octagon debuts of Kim Dong-hyun and Choo Sung-hoon, the first Korean fighters to compete in the UFC. He went on to cover a range of domestic and international MMA organizations — including AFC, Bellator and ONE Championship — as well as professional wrestling promotions such as WWE and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Kim has also competed as a professional wrestler, winning the DDT Pro-Wrestling championship in Japan as its 14th titleholder, and became the first Korean to provide live commentary for WWE SummerSlam from the venue.

He currently serves as secretary-general of the Korea Professional Wrestling Association and as director of external affairs for wrestling promotion PWS. He became the first active wrestler named secretary-general of the association, which marked its 60th anniversary in February.

Kim's connection to TFC dates to June 2013, when he attended the promotion's inaugural event, "TOP FC 1 Original," held at KBS Sports World in Deungchon-dong, Seoul, as a spectator.

"At the first event, I watched the fights as a fan right in front of the cage," Kim said. "It's deeply moving to now be sitting in the commentary seat. The fighters I'll be describing are the students of the very athletes who were competing inside that cage back then."

"It's especially meaningful to be returning to MMA commentary for TFC's comeback on IB Sports," he added. "I want to tell viewers the story of each and every fighter — why they stepped into this cage."

TFC 24 will be held in two parts. The main event features heavyweight Lee Seung-jun against Muratjan Yusupov of Kazakhstan, while Seol Young-ho and Watanabe Yuta of Japan clash in the co-main event. A bout between Kim Nam-sin and Lee Ho-jun is also on the main card.