The path from the sand ring to the PRIDE ring now has a roadblock for Dream Stage Entertainment's latest addition Lee Tae-Hyun.

The 6' 6", 300 plus pound wrestling giant announced on July 20 that he would be retiring from professional ssireum, a traditional Korean sport similar to sumo, to "return to his private life" and likely become a university lecturer.

However, the ssireum star held a press conference in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday to announce his signing with Dream Stage Entertainment, and his participation in the PRIDE Fighting Championship.

On the heels of Tae-Hyun's surprise announcement, the 30-year-old's former employer, Hyundai Elephants Ssireum, has announced that it may seek legal action against the three-time ssireum champion. Backed by Korean-based world industry giant Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., the Hyundai Elephants Ssireum is the professional ssireum team on which Tae-Hyun formerly competed.

Representatives of Hyundai Elephants Ssireum announced to the press yesterday that they accepted Tae-Hyun's retirement despite being contracted through 2012 under the notion that, as Tae-Hyun said three weeks ago, he would be inactive from athletic competition and pursue his goals as an educator. Now that Tae-Hyun has signed with Dream Stage Entertainment and is scheduled to compete in PRIDE, the Hyundai ssireum team may seek restitution.

Tae-Hyun's contract with Hyundai Elephants Ssireum secured his services until December of 2012. The contract paid Tae-Hyun an initial fee of 40 million won, approximately $41,800, as well as an 80 million won yearly salary until its expiration. Under the regulations of the Korea Ssireum Assocation, an illegal breach of contract entitles the organization to damages of twice the initial fee, 80 million won in this case.

"We will try to convince him to stay on the team one more time," said a representative from the Hyundai side.

"I still intend to lecture at the university," said Tae-Hyun. "But, when I applied, they didn't accept me due to my lack of teaching experience. My goal is to begin lecturing after my career in PRIDE. I intend to solve this matter with the Hyundai ssireum team."