OUT to keep its grip on the Asian market, ONE Championship is ready to meet the Ultimate Fighting Championship head on, but prefers to confine the battle in the region where it enjoys a huge following.
Victor Cui, the ONE Championship CEO, acknowledged the emerging battle between the ONE and UFC as the more preferred mixed martial arts promotion in Asia.
“Like every business industry, you see a natural duopoly emerge—Samsung versus Apple, Twitter versus Sina Weibo. Now it’s the battle of ONE vs UFC, the emergence of two global superpowers in the world of MMA,” Cui said.
The UFC is touted as the most recognized MMA promotion in the world, but Asia is said to belong to Singapore-based ONE C’ship,which prides itself of a decade-long partnership with Fox Sports Network for the showing of its fight promotions mostly in Asian countries.
UFC also has a partnership with Fox for its US market and other Asian countries, including the Philippines.
For the next couple of weeks, the Philippines will be at the center of rivalry between the ONE and UFC, which will host their fight promotions at the same venue—the 20,000-seater Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
After a long wait, the UFC will finally hold an event for its Filipino fans with the UFC Manila on May 16 to be topbilled by Frankie Edgar and Juriah Faber.
For its part, ONE C’ship will feature world-class wrestler and defending titlist Ben Askren who is making his first defense of his welterweight crown versus Brazilian veteran fighter Luis Santos at the ONE: Valor of Champions tonight.