In a battle of mixed martial arts dominance in Asia, David takes on Goliath – and wins.
Victor Cui’s cellphone buzzes. He is speaking at a seminar in Bangkok and does not answer it. Try calling Cui any time during a given week and chances are the 45-year-old is anywhere in the world, but home.
He has been travelling quite a bit since launching ONE Championship (previously ONE FC) in Singapore with business partner Chatri Sityodtong in 2011, but the frequency has increased these days – it comes from running Asia’s foremost mixed martial arts (MMA) enterprise. And it has been a phenomenal story that vindicates both men. In starting ONE, they set up a clash with the world’s biggest and richest MMA property, Las Vegas-based Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), which had its eye on expanding in Asia.
But the American giant, which had established regional headquarters in Beijing a year earlier, shrugged off the sudden emergence of ONE. In interviews, executives made light of its rival’s shows, and saw ONE as preparing Asian audiences for UFC’s fight cards. To drive home the point that UFC’s events were of unequalled pedigree, they even declined interviews where ONE and its shows might be narrated alongside theirs.
As things turned out, ONE has surged ahead with a whopping 54 shows and its footprint today extends the length and breadth of Asia, with a solid hold on China. The franchise’s most significant moment came last May when it held a fight card in Thailand, which was previously resistant to MMA competing with the indigenous muay thai on its home soil.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2017-Ausgabe von The PEAK Singapore.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2017-Ausgabe von The PEAK Singapore.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
A Sophisticated Bachelor Pad
In this two-storey apartment belonging to a finance in professional, designer Jerry Tan of Joey Khu ID created distinct arez ork and play.
Fringe Modalities
Poet, frontwoman, and shamanic healer ArunDitha Emmanuel returns to Singapore with renewed vigour to push the state-enforced boundaries of art.
Taking On Decolonisation
The annual Per°Form Open Academy of Arts and Activations by T:> Works this year tackles the complex subject of decolonisation with a line-up of artists from the global south.
Japan at Half-speed
A walking tour through the Kunisaki Peninsula in Kyushu is an invitation to appreciate thé country’s beauty ata snail's pace.
Truffle Sabotage
In the heart of Chianti, dark tales of the truffle trade, bacchanalian feasts, and sun salutations await at Christina Ong's COMO Castello del Nero in Tuscany.
Is Barolo the Next Burgundy?
With Burgundy prices reaching starry heights, we find out why Barolo is the next frontier for oenophiles.
Hungry for Hansik
Hansik, or Korean food, is becoming more popular worldwide due to the proliferation of Korean pop culture. We explore two of the cuisine's stalwart elements.
Maxed Out
We explore the intricacies of high-performance tyre development inside Continental’s top-tier test facility in Germany and put its new MaxContact MC7 tyres to the test.
India Rising
From a culture whose glorious traditions have greatly influenced luxury jewellery today, young designers like Renu Oberoi are rewriting the narrative.
A Life Less Ordinary
Street culture pioneer-entrepreneur Feroze McLeod defies convention, even in his watch collection.