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.
Denne historien er fra May 2017-utgaven av The PEAK Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2017-utgaven av The PEAK Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
From Screen to Store
Heini Zachariassen, founder of global wine rating app Vivino on how its first retail store in the world brings data-driven curation to wine lovers.
In the Dining Spotlight
Renowned Dutch chef Sergio Herman, whose name has been associated with the Michelin Guide in the Netherlands and Belgium, is expanding his Asian footprint with his Singapore outpost, Le Pristine in Grand Hyatt Singapore.
All for One
How would you navigate a corner if you were hearing-impaired or enjoy school if you were on the spectrum? These architects posit that inclusive design must be part of mainstream standards to improve overall living environments.
Pods and Swirling Staircases
This quirky and playful home designed by Park Associates is shaped after its owners, a young family with three children.
Stories Behind the Kebava
Sufiyanto A. S., one half of the duo behind the Kebaya.Societe Instagram account, has had enough of seeing Malay identity erased and forgotten.
Good to Go
Driving classic Jaguars on the legendary Goodwood Motor Circuit is all the magic a motorhead needs.
Seasons of the Snake
Japanese architect Tadao Ando once again works his magic for Bvlgari, with the Serpenti Tubogas as an artistic canvas for nature's cyclical transformation.
Phoenix Rising
One gutsy retired pharmaceutical executive rescued two-century-old Swiss watchmaker Bovet, and today, its presence is stronger than ever in Southeast Asia.
Con Amore, Leggiero, Presto!
Chan Weitian injects new insights into Presto Drycleaners, blending operational innovation with time-honoured values.
Preserving Paradise
Gaya Island Resort takes eco-tourism beyond the expected, blending conservation efforts with authentic luxury.
