Chris Leben ends 13-year MMA absence to face Akiyama in Seoul retirement bout

Chris Leben is returning to MMA competition at 46, more than a decade after a serious heart condition derailed his last comeback attempt. Black Combat announced that Leben will face Yoshihiro Akiyama at Black Combat 17: Vantablack on November 21 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea — a bout the promotion has designated as Akiyama’s retirement fight.

The two veterans have history. They first met at UFC 116 in July 2010, when Leben stepped in on short notice and submitted Akiyama with a triangle choke in the third round — handing the Japanese fighter the first UFC defeat of his career. Akiyama (16-7) will now close out his career against the same man.

Leben (22-12) last competed in MMA in December 2013, losing to Uriah Hall. He announced his retirement the following month, citing a desire to focus on coaching. A potential Bellator comeback in 2016 was shut down after medical tests revealed a serious heart condition. He subsequently turned to bare-knuckle boxing, most recently fighting Quentin Henry in February 2021.

The gap between his December 2013 MMA bout and the November 21 card amounts to just under 13 years — an unusually long absence for a fighter returning to the sport rather than simply stepping away from it.

For Akiyama, the matchup offers a full-circle moment: closing a career that included notable UFC runs and a celebrated profile in Japan and South Korea against the opponent who first exposed him inside the octagon. The Gocheok Sky Dome venue, primarily known as a baseball stadium in Seoul, provides a high-profile stage for what the promotion is framing as a farewell event.