Worldwide MMA Promotions
The UFC and One Championship are both MMA promotions and they compete for the same fans in different ways. They both have hundreds of professional fighters on their rosters, but they differ in how they market their athletes and where they hold events.
Let's take a closer look at each company's history as well as their similarities and differences.
One Championship and the UFC
The UFC and One Championship are two of the biggest MMA promotions in the world. The UFC has been around since 1993, while One Championship was founded in 2011. Both organizations have a large roster of fighters and events throughout the year, but here's how they compare.
Millions of Fans In Different Countries
You could make the argument that the UFC is the clear winner in terms of popularity and legacy. One Championship, which was founded in 2011 and has since become Asia's largest MMA promotion, is still relatively new and somewhat unknown to casual fans.
On top of that, the UFC boasts a roster that includes some of MMA's most recognizable names: Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones. Those are just a few examples of fighters who have made their names in this organization before moving on to other things (or leaving altogether).
One Championship's Reach Is Growing Fast
However, One Championship's reach as a global brand is growing fast. The Singapore-based MMA promotion began in 2011 and has since grown to have more than 600 fighters on its roster.
It has also been very successful in Asia, where it operates out of offices in Jakarta, Bangkok and Beijing. One Championship has plans to expand into the US market with an eye toward bringing their unique brand of martial arts action to America's fighting fans.
Similar Rulesets, Different Events
The two promotions have rules that are similar, but not identical. The scoring system is different as well: One Championship uses a 10-point must system, while the UFC uses a five-point must system with three judges scoring each round independently of one another (the winner of each round gets 10 points). One Championship also has additional weight classes not found in the UFC.
Fight Styles, Locations and Talented Athletes
The two organizations differ more dramatically in their fight styles, fight locations and athletes background. One Championship is a global organization that has events all over the world, including Asia, Australia and Europe.
The roster of fighters is also more diverse than UFC's, who mostly features American born athletes with some exceptions like Conor McGregor (Ireland) and Ronda Rousey (USA). One Championship holds Muay Thai fights which are less common in North America but popular in other parts of the world such as Thailand, where it originated.
The UFC hosts strictly mixed martial arts fights, while One Championship features mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and even submission grappling. As a fight fan, there is a lot more to choose from and it's exciting to watch athletes from different styles.
Which Fight Promotion Pays More?
According to reports, One Championship pays its fighters more (on average) than the UFC. UFC has a fairly negative reputation for underpaying its fighters.
(The average UFC fighter salary is a lot less than you might think.) One Championship is not legally obligated to disclose fighter pay, so there isn't as much information to pull from.
Watch the Best Knockouts in UFC History
Rulesets, fighter pay, and popularity aside, the UFC has high level, entertaining fights. Watch some of the best highlights from 2022 below!
One's Muay Thai & Kickboxing Superstars
One Championship also has a roster of world class Thai fighters, Kickboxers, submission grapplers, and mixed martial artists. They raise the stakes for their Muay Thai fights by having their fighters wear 4 oz. MMA gloves.
If you have time time, it's interesting to look at their rulesets for each fight style. Watch the video to see why Rodtang is one of the most exciting Muay Thai fighters on One's fight roster.
How To Watch The UFC
We'll just come out and say it: buying the UFC Pay-Per-View can be confusing. At the time of this article, you need to have the ESPN+ app, a live TV Hulu subscription, and the cash for the PPV event.
Or, you can use this link to find a better deal.
How To Watch One Championship
One Championship's fight cards are much more accessible. Stream One Championship on Amazon here. (This includes live bouts and past events.)
Which Fight Promotion Do You Prefer?
Now that you know the main differences between the UFC and One Championship, do you have a preference? Each promotion has its benefits, and a lot of it ultimately boils down to personal preference and popularity.
Here's a question: If you were a professional fighter, which promotion would you want to fight for?
