ONE Championship

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Overview

ONE Championship is a multinational combat sports promotion that organizes events in MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing, submission grappling, and other disciplines. Founded in 2011, it has held over 200 events across Asia and expanded into the US market, achieving a 46% audience growth among US MMA fans from late 2022 to mid-2023. The promotion is noted for higher fighter pay compared to traditional Thai promotions and a focus on athlete treatment, with events broadcast globally.

History

ONE Championship was founded on July 14, 2011, by Chatri Sityodtong and Victor Cui in Singapore, initially as ONE Fighting Championship focused on MMA. It rebranded to ONE Championship in 2015 and expanded into Muay Thai, kickboxing, and grappling, introducing weight class titles and hosting its first event in 2011 at Singapore Indoor Stadium. Key milestones include a 2018 fighter trade with UFC, raising $150 million in 2021 for a $1.35 billion valuation, and US debut in 2023. In 2022, parent company One Group Holdings moved legal operations to the Cayman Islands. Plans announced for 72 events in 2026.

Product Lines

Product Line	Positioning	Price Range
MMA Events	Premier Asian MMA competition	$20 - $100 (PPV/streaming)
Muay Thai Events	Globalized Muay Thai with modified rules	$20 - $100 (PPV/streaming)
Kickboxing Events	High-stakes striking bouts	$20 - $100 (PPV/streaming)
Submission Grappling Events	No-gi grappling championships	$20 - $100 (PPV/streaming)

Manufacturing

As an event promotion company, ONE Championship does not manufacture physical products; events are produced in-house with global production teams and hosted at venues across Asia, US, and Middle East.

Notable Products

ONE Fight Night 10 - US debut event in 2023 featuring key MMA and kickboxing matches.
ONE Lumpinee Events - Alliance with Lumpinee Stadium offering simplified Muay Thai rules for global audiences.
Strawweight MMA Title - First-ever strawweight champion crowned in 2015 with Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke.
Muay Thai World Titles - Introduced in 2018, starting with Sam-A Gaiyanghadao.

Reputation

Fighters praise ONE Championship for paying 10 times more than traditional promotions and providing superstar treatment. It has grown US viewership significantly, especially among 18-29 year olds who rate it highly for athlete safety and inspiration. Criticisms in Thailand include compromising traditional Muay Thai through rules favoring knockouts and reduced clinch work, sparking debates over the sport's soul.

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