ONE Championship unveils openweight Muay Thai grand prix featuring ‘16 of the world’s best’ and US$1 million prize
- ONE boss Chatri Sityodtong lays out plans for tournament that will ‘blow up the sport all over the world’
- ‘You’re going to see big guys against small guys ... some really whacky stuff,’ he says – ‘openweight is openweight’
ONE Championship will promote one of the biggest tournaments in the history of Muay Thai in 2023.
At Wednesday night’s ONE Fight Night 6 pre-fight press conference in Bangkok, the promotion’s CEO Chatri Sityodtong laid out plans for a 16-man openweight tournament, with a US$1 million prze awaiting the winner.
“I’m announcing the greatest grand prix in the history of Muay Thai,” Chatri told the media inside the host W Hotel Bangkok. “Sixteen of the best fighters in the world will descend, this year, for US$1 million.
“The very, very, very best, irrespective of weight class.”
Chatri did not reveal the line-up for the tournament, but named flyweight Muay Thai champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon, featherweight kickboxing champion Superbon Singha Mawynn.
Bantamweight Muay Thai contender Jonathan Haggerty, and former title challenger Liam Harrison also got a mention.
“Fans, all over the world, please tell me who you want to see,” Chatri said.
Chatri later told the Post the tournament would begin in March with eight fights. The quarter-finals will take place in June, the semi-finals in September, and the final in December.
“But you never know with these grand prix things, it hasn’t always gone smoothly,” he admitted, with a laugh.
One way or the other, Chatri is confident it will dominate the attention of the Muay Thai world.
“You’re going to see big guys against small guys, and it’s going to be huge,” he said. “I promise you this will blow up the sport all over the world.
“You’re going to see some really whacky stuff, with the greatest strikers on the planet. Openweight is openweight.”
Rodtang, Stamp agree ONE Lumpinee will ‘open doors’ for Thai fighters
ONE has made a huge commitment to the sport of Muay Thai, and to Thailand itself, in 2023.
The promotion is set to stage 52 events inside Bangkok’s world-famous Lumpinee Stadium before this year is out, starting on January 20.
Its first two tentpole events of 2023, which will both air on Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service in the United States, are also both set to emanate from Bangkok. The first card, ONE Fight Night 6, is set for this Saturday at the Impact Arena. The second, Fight Night 7, is scheduled for February 25 at Lumpinee.
Saturday’s Fight Night 6 card will be topped by a featherweight kickboxing title fight, as the Thai champion Superbon defends his belt against Belarus’ Chingiz Allazov.
In the co-main event, Thailand’s Superlek Kiatmoo9, another possible tournament entrant, will meet Spain’s Daniel Puertas with the vacant flyweight kickboxing title on the line.
The division’s former champion, Ilias Ennahachi, was set to defend his belt against Superlek on the card, but vacated the belt when he realised he would not be able to make weight.
Rodtang, ONE’s flyweight Muay Thai champ, will also be in action on the card, taking on China’s Jiduo Yibu in a non-title kickboxing fight.
