ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong recently appeared at a press conference after the successful conclusion of ONE Championship: Revolution. At the presser, he was asked whether he would someday want to participate in an exhibition bout against his UFC counterpart, Dana White.
Chatri Sityodtong responded:
"Yeah, I mean, you know, fans obviously always joke around about that one, but I don't think that Dana is up for fighting...I don't think Dana knows how to fight, right? It's different. I've been doing Muay Thai for thirty seven years. Still training everyday. I do BJJ five-six times a week."
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
The question came in stride with Chatri Sityodtong's recent accomplishment in the world of mixed martial arts. The fifty-year-old Muay Thai expert recently achieved a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was asked if he would consider participating in exhibition fights or Jiu-Jitsu competitions. Chatri Sityodtong replied:
"Against [whom]? You know, I'm not sure that fans want to see me. Obviously, I am not a world championship-caliber martial artist. I am a lifelong martial artist. I am an expert in Muay Thai, and I am pretty decent at Jiu-Jitsu now. But, I don't know. who would the fans want to see me against?"
Chatri Sityodtong shares heartfelt message after earning the brown belt in BJJ
Chatri Sityodtong took to Instagram to express his feeling of accomplishment and gratitude upon receiving the BJJ brown belt. The CEO of a multi-million dollar sports league, Chatri Sityodtong redefined his love for MMA and inspired many by achieving this feat at the stage of life he is at.
Sityodtong wrote:
"I received my brown belt in jiu-jitsu today. By my rough calculation, I have spent at least 2,400 hours on the mats (if not more). It has been a long journey with many ups and downs (and injuries), but I would not change any of it. I have been submitted more times than I can remember. I have gone home discouraged more times than I care to admit. I have wanted to give up more times than I can count. For sure, I am not the most talented jiu-jitsu student, but my love for the gentle art is unbreakable... I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Master Renzo Gracie and Professors Rafael Gordinho Lima, Teco Shinzato, Alex Silva, Leandro Brodinho, Almiro Barros, Gamal Hassan El Amin, Eduardo Rigatto Novaes, Guli Kozama, Valdir Rodrigues, Rodrigo Marello, Thales Nakassu, and Martin Hartono. Without each of you, I would not be here today."