ONE Championship boss optimistic on profitability this year

MANILA, Philippines -- ONE Fighting Championship is expected to reach profitability and a positive cash flow before the year ends, chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong said.

Sityodtong’s statement came after Forbes Magazine, back in April, said that ONE is the fourth most valuable combat sports promotion in the world.

“Through a combination of strong revenue growth and good cost optimisation, ONE will achieve profitability and positive cash flow in the third or fourth quarter of this year,” Sityodtong said.

“Our run rate revenues will approach US$200 million this year, representing a 50 percent increase from 2023.”

According to Forbes, ONE FC is the fourth most valuable combat sports promotion at $1.3 billion this year behind number one UFC, which was followed by sports entertainment promotions WWE and AEW.

Completing the top 10 are Matchroom Boxing, PFL, Top Rank Boxing, Premier Boxing Championship, Golden Boy Promotions and Combate Global.

“ONE Championship has a broadcast reach that spans across 190 countries. Backed by significant capital raises, ONE continues to expand its reach and impact, solidifying its position as a burgeoning player in combat sports,” the report read.

“Top caliber fighters such Anatoly Malykhin, Christian Lee, and Stamp Fairtex will be key in helping ONE continue to grow its audience while enticing fans to come to live events in new territories such as North America and the Middle East, where successful events have taken place over the past several months.” it added.

The promotion has held events in Tokyo, Japan and Doha, Qatar in the first half of the year.

Aside from the weekly ONE Friday Fights series, it also kept and acquired key broadcast partnerships that brought the fights far and wide.

The promotion will also hold shows in the USA – in Denver in September and Atlanta in November.

“In 2024, ONE continues to set record highs in viewership metrics with 60 live events, underpinning the sharp increase in revenues from multiple countries,” Sityodtong said.

“After more than 12 years of investing in our global brand, a worldwide platform, a live content and distribution engine, our global fandom, and our world championship athlete