Opinion | ONE Championship has shaken up the submission grappling industry – but women’s title should be next
- ONE took things up a notch in 2022 with a host of high-profile bouts, offering athletes an international platform and unprecedented paydays
- Singapore promotion has crowned two men’s champions, but has yet to award a belt to a woman – and there are some deserving contenders
ONE Championship has shaken up the submission grappling industry by offering athletes an international platform and unprecedented paydays.
But the promotion has yet to crown a champion in either of its women’s divisions, and it would be great to see that change in the coming months.
ONE, which also features MMA, kickboxing and Muay Thai bouts, promoted its first submission grappling contest in 2017, when Garry Tonon defeated Shinya Aoki with a heel hook.
However the promotion did not make the sport a central part of its product until last year, with a host of high-profile bouts, and now ONE’s commitment to submission grappling has changed the industry.
Not only does the Singapore-based company offer a bigger platform than any other in the sport, but it also offers bigger base purses, and most notably, the potential for a US$50,000 bonus with an impressive victory.
The promotion’s push into submission grappling has garnered support and praise from some of the sport’s most accomplished competitors, such as decorated Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida – considered one of the greatest heavyweights to grace the mats.
