Chatri Sityodtong talks about the impact of crossover matches in different disciplines of martial arts

ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong is not afraid to push the boundaries when it comes to innovation in combat sports. ONE, after all, is considered one of the largest martial arts organizations in the world since it does not just focus on MMA alone.

The promotion has also brought other disciplines to the global stage, shining the spotlight on Muay Thai, kickboxing, and most recently, submission grappling. While these sports are all captivating to watch on their own, ONE decided to up the ante this past March.

They combined the unpredictability of MMA with the technical chaos that is Muay Thai. The result? An amazing special-rules bout between ONE flyweight world champion Demetrious Johnson and ONE flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang Jitmuangnon.

This unique stipulation of this matchup, which alternated rules of Muay Thai and MMA between rounds, made it one of the most anticipated matches on the stacked ONE X fight card.

The first round was fought in Rodtang’s wheelhouse as a strictly-striking war. But once takedowns were permitted in the second round, ‘Mighty Mouse’ took over and submitted the Thai superstar via rear-naked choke.

In an interview with SCMP MMA’s Nic Atkin, Chatri Sityodtong discussed the amazing impact of these unique crossover matches.

“We’re seeing Muay Thai fans who never liked MMA, they get drawn in because of Rodtang and Muay Thai, but then on the same card they see MMA and they say, ‘Wow,’ and then they start following our superstars and then boom! Suddenly you’re a crossover fan.”

Chatri Sityodtong added:

“The athletes too, when they sign as an MMA [fighter] but all of a sudden they’re like, ‘Hey, I didn’t know this!’ and they want to try. And there’s a lot of intriguing matchups and storylines you can make in addition to superfights.“

Catch the full interview below:

While the match was deemed ‘gimmicky’ by some, it does combine the best of both worlds. Plus, it gives fans of both disciplines a chance to appreciate another sport and an opportunity to get to know other superstars on top of their game.

As such, the possibilities are endless in special-rules fights as it opens the door for a ton of incredible matchups. So far, it looks like the experiment has received positive reviews. So much so, that ONE already has another one lined up.

---

Chatri Sityodtong believes Anissa Meksen will thrive under mixed rules

The second special-rules fight in ONE history will take place at ONE on Prime Video 6. The event is set to be held inside the Impact Arena in Bangkok, and will air at US primetime on January 13.

The card will feature former two-sport ONE world champion Stamp Fairtex against decorated kickboxing and Muay Thai world champion Anissa Meksen.

While the Thai superstar is the favorite in this match due to her expertise in Muay Thai, kickboxing, and MMA, Chatri Sityodtong believes ‘C18’ should not be counted out.

The ONE boss said in the same interview:

“If I’m Anissa, I’m gonna practice day and night on takedown defense. I’m not sure if you can learn a phenomenal chain double or any kind of chain to the point that you could stop a stronger, more athletic, leaner opponent that is Anissa.”

Chatri Sityodtong added:

“I think Anissa has actually proved to be a real handful. If she has done MMA like she says, I don’t know, she could be a force. Who else on this planet has 103 wins against five losses?”