MMA may have taken a bit of a backseat at ONE Championship in 2023, but 2024 will be a different animal.
ONE CEO Chatri Sitoyotton recently mentioned to the South China Morning Post that the promotion has big plans for 2024 with over 60 events worldwide.
“The next chapter in 2024 will be a record number of events for us in all martial arts, in different locations around the world,” Sitoyotton told the newspaper. “I think that will really excite the fans and the athletes.”
ONE faced criticism in 2023 for shifting focus from MMA to Muay Thai and submission grappling. Sitoyotton hinted that it was a deliberate choice on the part of the promotion.
However, the company has developed a plan to shift its focus back to MMA.
“We’re going to see MMA come back in earnest,” Sitoyotton said. “We’re doing shows in stadiums in the United States and a show or two in Qatar, Japan, and the Philippines. ONE Friday matches and the Muay Thai product are very well established right now. We’re building the foundation. This has made us very comfortable running on autopilot and allowing us to scale up. We are firmly positioned to own the number one impressive piece of real estate on the planet. The focus will come back to mixed martial arts.”
Sitoyotton said ONE will announce its 2024 calendar this week, including several MMA title fights to take place early in the year. He also mentioned that ONE could break ground in Europe in 2024, with an announcement to be made soon.
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