ONE Championship Promises Huge 2024 With Shift to MMA
In 2024, ONE Championship plans to refocus on mixed martial arts (MMA). After a relatively quiet year in 2023, the Singaporean promotion aims to bring MMA back to the forefront of their product.
To wrap up 2023, ONE will have hosted 12 'Fight Night' events, similar to UFC's Fight Night events. However, their talent feeder product --- and primarily Muay Thai based --- 'Friday Fights,' took precedence with an impressive 44 events. As a result, ONE took a back seat to the UFC and PFL in the MMA market during 2023.
2024 will be different according to ONE Chairman Chatri Sityodtong:
"You're going to see MMA back in full force," Sityodtong told SCMP. "ONE Friday Fights and the Muay Thai product are very much on firm footing... We've firmly established we have the No. 1 striking property on the planet. The focus will be sharply back onto mixed martial arts."
Sityodtong promises a "record high number of events" in 2024, with venues in the US, Qatar, Japan and the Philippines.
For ONE's roster of MMA fighters, this is good news, since ONE's fighter contracts don't afford the athlete much wiggle room in terms of exploring other options.
On a positive note, ONE's plans align with the PFL's significant advancements in the MMA industry and the highly anticipated UFC antitrust lawsuit, which is scheduled for trial in early 2024. With all of these developments taking place, fight fans can expect to see some new players in the game next year.
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