ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong took aim at other MMA promotion’s striking acumen, specifically the UFC’s roster. In a post-event interview after ONE Fight Night 14, Sityodtong called the striking fans see in other organizations sloppy and mediocre. While there can be debate on that point, Sityodtong also pointed to ONE’s roster of champion strikers, which is difficult to argue against.
ONE Championship has the Best Strikers in the World: Here’s Why
ONE offers more than just MMA. The dominant organization in the East also puts kickboxing and Muay Thai centerstage with a spectacular roster of stars. Many of the athletes competing in those disciplines have won World Championships in other organizations.
Fans have gotten to see stars like Rodtang Jitmuangnon, Superlek Kiatmoo9, Nong-O Hama, Giorgio Petrosyan, Superbon Singa Mawynn, and many more throw down under the bright lights. Those figures are true legends in their striking arts. And it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
There is perhaps no better example of this than the featherweight kickboxing division in ONE. It is not only the most stacked lineup in kickboxing, but it is the most talent-rich division in all of martial arts. Petrosyan is considered to be the gold standard, and he was knocked out by Superbon, who then became the #1-ranked pound-for-pound kickboxer on the planet.
That lasted one fight until Chingiz Allazov assumed the throne. However, Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong is also a mainstay on those pound-for-pound lists. And Tawanchai PK Saenchai is just on the brink of breaking through himself.
ONE has also found success with bringing those strikers into MMA. Most notably, Stamp Fairtex recently became martial art’s first-ever three-sport World Champion. The atomweight queen had already captured kickboxing and Muay Thai gold, but her MMA development has been astonishing to the point she capped off her run with a title victory over Ham Seo Hee at ONE Fight Night 14.
Striking is in the water of the East. Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand. Taekwondo, wushu, and other striking arts also originate from the region. Athletes get started in these disciplines from an early age, so it only stands to reason why they are so developed when they are ready to turn pro.
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Even UFC commentator Joe Rogan has lauded the world of Muay Thai recently. After the epic collision between Rodtang and Superlek, the popular comedian shared that he thought Muay Thai had the biggest potential in the Western world. Rogan sees what other martial arts fans see when ONE delivers these striking wars — unlimited potential.
While the harsh comments toward the UFC’s roster of athletes may garner more headlines for being sensational, the actual meat of the discussion about ONE’s striking arsenal should not go ignored. The elite of the elite of kickboxing and Muay Thai compete in ONE and are promoted on top of exciting cards. With the depth of talent across two sports, it is impossible to suggest ONE does not have the most exciting collection of striking talent in the world, and fans need to take notice.
