SINGAPORE—ONE Championship is more than just a promotion that showcases competition between Mixed Martial Arts fighters said its chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong to Manila Standard yesterday.
“ONE Championship is a celebration of Asia’s greatest cultural treasure which is martial arts. It promotes deep-rooted Asian values of integrity, honor, courage, humility, respect and discipline,” said Chatri as he promoted ONE: Immortal Pursuit where ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren defends his title against Japan’s legendary grappler Shinya Aoki at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, November 24.
ONE Championship is different from its western counterparts whose entire marketing platforms are focused on glorifying the violence inside the cage, the antagonism and belligerent behavior of its fighters.
“Our fighters aspire to be heroes. They are good human beings and role models who conduct themselves properly at all times and who represent Martial Arts well. We celebrate values that all humanity can embrace,” said Chatri.
ONE Championship is now Asia’s biggest sports media property because Asia is fertile ground for Martial Arts competition as a spectator sport. Martial Arts is deeply rooted in Asian Culture. Asian countries have their own native Martial Arts. Kali in the Philippines. Silat in Indonesia. Muay Thai inThailand. Taekwondo in Korea. Judo and Karate in Japan.
“Six years ago I had a simple thesis. Every region in the world had a billion dollar sports media property. Europe had the English Premiere League and other soccer leagues. America had the National Basketball Association and the National Football League. Asia had none. That’s why I started ONE Championship,” said Chatri.
He said ONE’s ultimate goal is to have 52 events in a year or one fight a week spread across the biggest Asian cities like Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and other locales.
“More than just the fights ONE Championship celebrates Asian heroes. ONE Championship fighters are mostly from Asia. We promote the things that unite the continent. We honor values that bind us together as Asians,” said Chatri.
In the undercard of ONE: Immortal Pursuit Team Lakay fighter Gina Iniong battles top contender Mei Yamaguchi in a three-round atomweight encounter. Iniong returns to the cage two weeks after her victory over Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol as replacement to injured ONE champion Angela Lee.
Another Filipino in Richard Corminal faces returning French veteran Arnaud Lepont in one of the preliminary bouts. Corminal – who holds a 4-win, 2-loss card with four knockouts – will try to add Lepont to his list of knockout victims inside the cage.