ONE Championship: A Detailed Look at Asia’s Top MMA Promotion

When ONE Championship was created in 2011, it set out to put Asia on the map as a leading destination for world-class mixed martial arts (MMA) events. Seven years later, it can be said with certainty that ONE Championship has succeeded in its mission. The promotion has become the preeminent MMA organization in Asia and one of the most respected brands in all sports. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at ONE Championship and explore what makes it so special.

The Creation Of ONE Championship

ONE Championship was founded by Chatri Sityodtong, a self-made entrepreneur who himself is a martial artist and a Harvard MBA holder. Sityodtong has always had a passion for the sport of MMA, and he saw an opportunity to build something special in Asia. Chatri wanted to differentiate ONE from western promotions by promoting values such as integrity, humility, honor, respect, courage, discipline, and compassion. With the help of some of the biggest names in the business, ONE Championship quickly rose to prominence.

ONE Championship was formally founded on July 14th, 2011, by Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui. The first event the promotion ever held was on September 3rd, 2011, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Nielsen ranks ONE Championship amongst the world’s top 10 biggest sports media properties in terms of viewership and engagement.

The ONE FC network was an alliance of camps and promotions in Asia and Oceania, which enabled ONE to share fighters. The network of promotions even included promotional giants such as Glory, which often shared its fighters with ONE and vice versa.

In 2015 ONE FC changed its name to ONE Championship.

From 2016 to the current time, ONE has organized many “grappling super-fights,” such as Shinya Aoki vs. Marat Gafurov, Shinya Aoki vs. Garry Tonon, and many more.

During the last few years, ONE has also entered into many cross-promotional partnerships with other big promotions such as Ringside United Fighting (RUF Nation), Fairtex Fight Promotion, and Muay Thai Grand Prix.

ONE Championship – A Promotional Mastermind

What makes ONE Championship so successful is its commitment to putting on world-class events featuring the best Asian fighters. The promotion has held over 200 live events in 25 countries worldwide. ONE Championship also broadcasts to over 150 countries, reaching a potential global audience of over one billion people.

In addition to putting on great events and signing top talent, ONE Championship has also done an excellent job of building its brand. The promotion has partnerships with major companies like Alipay, AirAsia, and Marvel Entertainment.

ONE Championship does another thing very well, and that is promotion and brand awareness through social media. If you take a look at their Youtube and Instagram accounts, it is easy to see that ONE Championship knows how to market itself. Posting videos such as Top 30 lightweight knockouts in ONE Championship history and ONE Championship’s best knockouts of 2018, it is easy to see how ONE Championship has garnered more and more recognition amongst MMA fans.

Another huge bonus for the promotion is the introduction of Muay Thai fights in a cage which is fought with MMA gloves. This helps to differentiate ONE Championship from other MMA promotions and helps to attract new fans of the sport.

ONE Championship has also been praised for its commitment to charity. The promotion has donated over $30 million dollars to various charitable causes, including education, healthcare, and disaster relief.

Its huge rise in popularity is also due to the fact that ONE has signed very well-known fighters in the sport, but it has also introduced some excellent upcoming fighters to the world of MMA. The promotions strategy is one of “building heroes” so the fans would be involved to a higher degree.

Popular Fighters in ONE Championship

Some of the most popular ONE Championship fighters include Bibiano Fernandes, Shinya Aoki, Angela Lee, and Martin Nguyen. These athletes are not only some of the best in ONE Championship, but they are also some of the best in the world.

ONE Championship has also been able to sign some of the biggest names in MMA to exclusive contracts. This includes legends like Demetrious Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, Sage Northcutt, Rodtang, and many more.

ONE is great at matchmaking, pitting the best of the best against each other. For example, ONE has had amazing fights such as Rodtang Jitmuangnon vs. Jonathan Haggerty, Nieky Holzken vs. Cosmo Alexandre, and Rodtang vs. Demetrious Johnson.

Conclusion

Looking to the future, ONE Championship shows no signs of slowing down. With a strong commitment to its athletes, fans, and partners, ONE Championship is poised for continued success in the years.

All of these factors have come together to make ONE Championship the premier MMA promotion in Asia. If you’re a fan of the sport, then you owe it to yourself to check out ONE Championship. You won’t be disappointed. ONE Championship truly is a must-see for any mixed martial arts fan. Thanks for reading! I hope this has given you a better understanding of ONE Championship and what the promotion is all about. Until next time!

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