Understanding ONE Championship Part 1 of 3
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Muay Thai is changing. The formerly niche sport is picking up traction. There are now more televised Muay Thai shows than ever before.
Entertainment shows and Stadium shows are battling for attention. And More and more people are watching the rise of the sport.
One of the biggest changes for Muay Thai has been the rise of ONE Championship. The Singaporean based company is developing a new model for the sport with a distinct future for many athletes.
ONE Championship Super Series
Of interest to Muay Thai fans is the Super Series part of ONE which began in 2018. Focused on MMA, the promotion has now diversified. It includes kickboxing, MMA, and Muay Thai.
The roster for both the male and female divisions are stacked. The world’s best strikers are now contracted with ONE Championship. The line up includes Girogio Petryosan, Yodsanklai Fairtex, Petchmorakkot Petchyindee Academy, Stamp Fairtex, Janet Todd, Allycia Rodrigues, and others.
ONE Championships Super Series bouts are high level. The company calls for high performance. Athletes signed to ONE Championship are experienced, especially on the Muay Thai side.
While ONE Championship has created the ONE Warrior series, a development league for MMA fighters, there is no such program for ONE Championship currently running. A Muay Thai development league is expected to begin later this year in Thailand. It is currently on hold due to Covid-19.
Muay Thai Scoring
ONE Championship has taken notes from both MMA and entertainment Muay Thai shows in composing its shows.
It is an entertainment show and its rule set follows it. The hierarchy for scoring is simple. A knockout or knockdown score the highest followed by internal damage. Internal damage is an injury that disables a fighter. For example, if a boxer is leg kicked and forced to switch stances or limps, that is internal damage.
Following internal damage is superficial damage. Superficial damage is on the surface of the fighter: cuts, bruising, and swelling. Next is striking superiority. The boxer that scores with better technique gets the judges nod. The last criteria is that of aggression.
Glove Size
Bouts for Muay Thai are in small MMA style gloves. The gloves, made by Fairtex, have made knockouts and damaging the opponent much easier. The small size of the gloves allows for more punches to come in. Boxers can no longer soak up punishment with big sized gloves.
Because boxing can do more damage, it can score alongside other weapons in Muay Thai. At the main stadiums, because of the infrastructure and the game, boxing is devalued. At ONE boxing and boxing defense becomes as important as every other weapon.
Small gloves have also increased the likelihood of hand injuries. Boxers must properly punch all the time to prevent potential breaks.
There is considerably less leeway for mistakes. There is a lack of cushioning compared to the bigger gloves worn at most entertainment and stadium shows. Even MX and Muay Hardcore which boast MMA style gloves, has more padding to their glove than the 4 ounce ONE Championship gloves.
Unregulated cast like hand wraps, par for the course at most Muay Thai events, are now regulated MMA style wraps. Athletes receive a layer of tape that goes below the knuckles, gauze that covers the knuckles, and a third layer of tape that does not reach the knuckles. Wraps are standardized. Without the large casts placed upon their hands, athletes are more likely to injure their hands as they don’t have the same structural support.
Trained officials wrap the boxers hands and or overseen by an official team.
Injuries
While injuries can occur, there is also more protection for athletes. Boxers are covered by health insurance at ONE.
Many times, athletes injured in a stadium or other entertainment shows may be compensated, but the totality of their hospital bills will not be covered. Broken noses, arms, and other injuries may not even be attended to.
There is a doctor for stitches but injuries above and beyond that often become the responsibility of the boxer and their camp. Small injuries such as broken noses or arms can be career ending for athletes that are uninsured.
This is not the case at ONE Championship which has a more complete medical care system.
Making Weight At ONE Championship
ONE Championship reformed its procedures following the death of MMA athlete Yang Jian Bing in 2015.
Weigh-ins consist of both a scaled check and a hydration test on multiple occasions before the event. Athletes cannot realistically pass both the weight check and hydration test several times if they are cutting large amounts of weight.
Fighters are generally within 2-3 kg of their fight weight.This is in stark comparison to western organizations.
At the UFC it is not uncommon for boxers to cut 8-10% of their weight and or 4.5-9kg. Extreme weight cutting is very difficult to do on multiple occasions without depleting minerals and dehydrating the body.
The influence on performance for weight cutting is still unclear. Studies suggest either a negative or noneffect.
Purse Sizes
Wages for boxers are increased at ONE.
Purses, based on anecdotal evidence, outdo wages at the stadiums. High earners like Rodtang Jitmuangnon at 250,000 baht or Superlek Kiatmoo 9 at 150,000 baht will see their salaries increase two to three times at ONE Championship. Athletes are not officially allowed to announce their salaries.
Anecdotal evidence has many female athletes making similar wages as men. This is a big move for the company and for the sport. It is especially important as Nak Muay Ying rarely get above 10,000 baht for their bouts.
While the new wave of entertainment shows such as Super Champ and Muay Hardcore are more moneyed opportunities, wages still pale in comparison to what high ranking male fighters make in Thailand shows.
Social Media And More
The higher salaries demand more from the fighters. Along with the multiple hydration tests are media interviews, photoshoots, and social media presence.
Athletes that perform on ONE Championship often experience tremendous growth in their social media.
Wondergirl Fairtex, before her debut on ONE Championship, was at 9,000 followers on Instagram. She has doubled since her two performances in two months.
Newly crowned Atomweight Muay Thai Champion, Allcyia Rodriguez was at 30,000 followers. Less than a week later saw a whopping 30% increase in her fan base. She is now at over 40,000 followers. A single post by the new Brazilian star is estimated to be worth between $300 to $1600.
Women In ONE Championship
Female fighters have taken a strong place in ONE Championship. Feminism and market forces have opened up new opportunities for female fighters.
Currently, the atom and strawweight divisions in the organization have the best female strikers in the world. Athletes like Janet Todd, Anissa Meksen, Stamp Fairtex, Allycia Araujo, Wondergirl Fairtex, Iman Barlow, etc. all have a large platform on which to perform.
Female fighters have headlined many shows. There has been Stamp Fairtex versus Janet Todd, and Stamp Fairtex versus Allycia Araujo.
The female fights are particularly eye catching in the MMA style gloves. Larger gloves, particularly for smaller weight classes, don’t have the same impact. Smaller gloves mean more damage, and more potential knockouts. This adds excitement value.
The new push for female fighters is a real opportunity to grow the sport. Demographically combat sports sway towards being predominately male, and masculine.
Having female fighters appeals to all genders. Females inspire other females to engage in the sport. More Nak Muay Ying open more opportunities for men, particularly because women expand the market for sponsorships.
The Third Woman In The Ring
While the organization has a heavy female line up it has not shown many females on stage in the important role of regulation. There are solid female referees and judges such as Harneen Yuvadee (IFMA and Thai Fight experienced), Abby Nelson (IFMA experienced) and Tammi Willis (Fairtex and ONE Championship Timekeeper experienced), available to step in as potential referees.
There is, however, a strong voice for the company in Miesha Tate, who serves as the vice president. Working as a brand ambassador, Tate regularly writes opinion columns for ONE Championship.
The former UFC Bantamweight champion has put on all female shows including “Who Runs The World.” Tate works the pre and post fight interviews putting a strong female face at the forefront of the company.
The Wages And Value Of Female Athletes
As stated before, entertainment shows in Thailand are providing new opportunities for female athletes. Wages at ONE Championship are reputed to be 5-10x or more than wages at entertainment shows.
The push for female athletes creates an excellent opportunity for a possible eight woman $1 million Atomweight Muay Thai tournament. The large payday will attract viewers of all genders and will be a big crack in the glass ceiling of pay for female fighters. Chatri Sityodtong has teased the possibility of a tournament but it has yet to happen.
ONE’s female friendly values and pay aligns with female purchasing decisions. This is important as women are more likely to consider the ethics of a company when making a purchase or investment according to an S&P Global report. Also, women drive a large amount amount of consumer purchasing through their buying power and influence.
Having female fighters opens new possibilities for advertising revenue and sponsorships. There are clothing lines, cosmetics, household items, food, and groceries, etc. This benefits all genders.
Brought to you by: On Fighting In Thailand: A Guide To The Sport In The Motherland
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