Chatri Sityodtong Wants ONE Championship to Lead Asian MMA into a New Era
The 2016 Asia MMA Summit took place in Singapore last week and saw some of the most influential figures from within the industry and beyond gather at Marina Bay Sands for two days of meetings and lectures.
As well as representatives from some of the biggest media broadcasters, largest gyms, global sponsors and most important promotions in the region there were also executives from major corporations like The Sands Group, SM Lifestyle Entertainment, and the Singapore Sports Hub.
The presence of so many high powered figures from outside the MMA industry was testament to how the sport has grown in the past few years. But for the media in attendance, the main attraction was an audience with ONE Championship Chairman Chatri Sityodtong.
Journalists from newspapers, websites, and magazines all over the world were given the opportunity to ask questions of the multimillionaire entrepreneur and ONE Championship founder, who was in typically forthright form.
He spoke about his promotion’s progress over the course of the last five years and his goals for the future.
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“At ONE championship we are very fortunate that we are Asia’s largest sports media property now with live events all over Asia, as well as a live broadcast to 118 countries. So really, it’s all about continuing to grow because we have done the hardest part in terms of achievements.
“Now, it’s about laying the groundwork and building a better future for everybody, meaning fight managers, gyms, promoters, sponsors, broadcasters, partners… We want everyone to succeed and obviously if ONE Championship ends up becoming a $20 billion property everyone in the eco system will have a piece of that success.”
One of the themes of the summit was how Asia differs from the rest of the world from both an economic and a cultural perspective. The continent has an enormous audience for sporting events, but Chatri feels that there is a gap in the market for elite level homegrown leagues and competitions.
“There are several multi-billion sports media properties in every region in the world. The NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC in North America are $4 to $20 billion apiece and you go to Europe and the EPL, Formula One, Bundesliga and La Liga are all $2 to $20 billion apiece, but you come to Asia, and there’s nothing.”
TV networks in Asia spend billions of dollars for the rights to broadcast live EPL matches, but Chatri thinks that there is a huge appetite to see local heroes on the global stage.
“We watched EPL, we watched David Beckham (and) Manchester United, but if you are in Baguio (Philippines) or if you are in Bangkok (Thailand), it has nothing to do with you. But now we actually have Eduard Folayang fighting Shinya Aoki and in Japan they can watch it live and in the Philippines. They have a hero, so this is the first time and that’s why I think it’s very exciting and the future is very, very bright for ONE Championship.”
When ONE Championship was launched in 2011, there was some skepticism with people questioning whether the promotion could achieve its lofty goals. Five years and 46 events later, Chatri was asked if he had a message for those skeptics.
“I don’t listen to the naysayers, the doubters the haters, I just focus on doing what I love and surrounding myself with positive people and dreamers and achievers like everyone at ONE Championship,” he replied.
“So I’m not surprised at how successful we are, but I think the world will be shocked in the next five years at what ONE Championship is going to do.”
In the immediate future, Chatri says that will mean more events in more territories.
“You are going to see the biggest calendar of events across all of Asia (in 2017). So we have been primarily focused on Southeast Asia and China, but next year the footprint will include Korea and Japan and the rest of Asia (and) any countries that we haven’t been to. It’s a little bit too early to announce, but we are just formulating our event schedule (which) will literally be the most events ONE Championship (has ever done) in a calendar year.”
Throughout the summit, Chatri and ONE Championship CEO Victor Cui referred to the martial arts industry as a whole. They feel a responsibility to represent the entire spectrum of combat sports and cited the No Gi grappling tournament which the promotion organized recently in Macau as an example of this.
Chatri repeatedly referenced Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li as examples of iconic Asian martial artists, as well as Manny Pacquiao, who is a ONE Championship shareholder. He pointed out that the region had always been home the best Muay Thai practitioners and Sanda fighters in the world and believes the continent can be a major force in producing MMA stars.
“The entire business model (is) finding local heroes who can ignite entire countries on the global stage. Asians are the very best at martial arts. This is our home and ONE Championship is going to be the platform to show the whole world what martial arts really is.”
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