Chatri Sityodtong on elite fighters facing stiff competition in ONE Championship

By now, fans should know better than to sleep on the talent in ONE Championship. After all, the promotion has proven time and again that it indeed has some of the most dangerous fighters across mixed martial arts, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and submission grappling.

Just take the recent battle between former two-division KSW champion ‘Robocop’ Roberto Soldic and former ONE welterweight king ‘The Bandit’ Zebaztian Kadestam, for example - Soldic met Kadestam at ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III on Prime Video a few weeks ago.

The Croatian sensation was expected to put on a show and claim his first victory inside the Circle. But, his coming out party was spoiled by Kadestam, who scored a massive second-round knockout victory over ‘Robocop.’

Speaking at the ONE Fight Night 10 post-event press conference in Denver, Colorado, ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong was quick to remind fans just how dangerous fighters are in his promotion.

He said:

“Even look at Roberto [Soldic]. He was a two-division KSW champion. He had no more opponents, he ran through everybody in Europe. Everybody. He comes here and gets knocked out. You see that trend a lot.”

Other stars from other promotions who got absolutely starched in ONE include former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, and American MMA prodigy Sage Northcutt.

In fact, according to Sityodtong, only one man has benefited from getting knocked out in ONE. And that’s the reigning flyweight champ, Demetrious Johnson.

“Everybody knew coming in, only DJ, he did get knocked out too, but only DJ, I think that adds to his legend. Getting knocked out and coming back and winning and knocking him out. I think that adds to his legacy. It’s not the undefeated guy that’s amazing. It’s the guy that will fight everybody, any ruleset, that to me is impressive.”

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch the ONE Fight Night 10 replay via Amazon Prime.