ONE Championship founder and CEO Chatri Sityodtong believes his promotion is bigger and better than the UFC.
The Asian-based combat sports group announced that its first event in the United States will take place on May 5th, 2023. Though details of the event are scarce, it will be the promotion’s 10th event on Amazon Prime Video and will feature a highly-anticipated trilogy bout between former UFC flyweight champion and current ONE flyweight titleholder, Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes. The two fighters have met twice before inside the ONE Circle with each capturing a spectacular knockout victory over the other.
ONE closed out 2022 with back-to-back events at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila over the weekend. Following ONE on Prime Video 5 and ONE 164, CEO Chatri Sityodtong was confident in saying that ONE Championship is not only bigger, but it’s better than Dana White’s UFC.
“First of all we’re bigger,” Sityodtong said at ONE 164’s post-fight press conference (h/t South China Morning Post). “Nielsen came out with the industry report eight or nine months ago, on the TV metrics and social and digital. We are bigger — there’s no question — in terms of viewership and engagement around the world.
“I’d love to see a UFC versus ONE, champion versus champion,” he continued. “I believe we would win our fair share. They would win some, too. But I do believe we’re the better organization.”
🚨WE’RE COMING TO AMERICA!!🚨@ONEChampionship is making its U.S. on-ground debut on May 5 at the 1stBank Center in Colorado, headlined by @MightyMouse vs. @adrianomkmoraes III.
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— Dom Lau (@domjlau) December 6, 2022
ONE Championship CEO Believes He Has the Better and Happier Fighters Compared to UFC
Chatri Sityodtong also believes that the quality of competition is much stronger in ONE Championship, with many of their signees obtaining world championships in organizations around the world before stepping into the ONE Circle.
“If you look at roster quality, what is an average athlete in ONE?” Sityodtong asked. “He or she is a world champion in one discipline or more prior to joining, at the highest levels. The pedigree of these guys is just different level.
“The average athlete who gets signed by UFC is 8-0 in LFA, or 10-0, or did collegiate wrestling for four years and maybe does Muay Thai for three years,” he added. “Here you’ve got the best of the best of every discipline.”
Aside from the quality of athlete comparison, Sityodtong also claimed that ONE Championship is better about taking care of its athletes and paying a fair wage, something the UFC has been accused of lacking by its own fighters for many years.
“But lastly ask your athletes who’s happier? Which roster has a great relationship with their boss?” Sityodtong said. “I understand them. On one side the other boss (Dana White) has never stepped in the ring or a martial arts school.
“I understand martial arts at the highest levels, I have empathy and compassion,” he concluded. “I love our athletes, and all that comes out. That’s what Jarred is talking about. He’s not the first guy to say ONE Championship treats its athletes so well. So yes, I feel Jarred is right.”
