At a press conference Monday held at the Silla Hotel in Seoul, South Korea, Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) again apologized to the HERO'S organization and its fans before formally announcing his participation in the Oct. 28 HERO'S KOREA 2007 card at the Jang Chung Gymnasium in Seoul.

The announcement brings an end to a sprawling controversy that has spanned nearly 10 months.

Following his victory over MMA icon Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures) at K-1's Premium 2006 Dynamite!! this past New Year's Eve, Akiyama became embroiled in massive controversy when it was revealed that prior to the bout he used a personal moisturizer on his body. The days following the fight saw K-1 and HERO'S parent company Fight Entertainment Group declare the bout a No Contest, and indefinitely suspend Akiyama, 32, from competition.

The bout also led to extensive reform to HERO'S rules and regulations, as well as the protocol of HERO'S officials.

Rumors of Akiyama's ring return first began in the build-up to the July 16 HERO'S card. Following a test of fan opinion in which 56 percent of those polled favored Akiyama's return to HERO'S, FEG president Sadaharu Tanigawa said that Akiyama's participation in Sept. 17's HERO'S card was "50-50."

Although Akiyama did not compete at the event, upon announcement of a second HERO'S card in Seoul it appeared the return of the former HERO'S 187-pound tournament winner, an ethnic Korean, was imminent.

In November 2005 Akiyama anchored the first HERO'S card in Seoul. In the main event, the former judoka crushed Masakatsu Okuda in the first round.

No opponent has yet been named for Akiyama, and no match-ups have been made official.

Also on the card, ranked middleweight Denis Kang (Pictures) makes his HERO'S debut versus a yet-to-be determined opponent. Former South Korean judo star Dong sik Yoon, and former K-1 standout-turned-MMA fighter Taiei Kin (Pictures), who is also an ethnic Korean, will appear on the card.