Jonathan Di Bella believes ONE Championship has the machinery to “put kickboxing on the map” in the United States

Former ONE strawweight kickboxing world champion Jonathan Di Bella is confident that ONE Championship has it to further grow and make kickboxing popular in the United States.

He made this known in an interview with Combat Sports Today, which was uploaded on YouTube on Nov. 8, sharing that by holding more kickboxing matches in the U.S., the promotion would garner more following among American fans as well as for the striking-only martial arts.

The Canadian-Italian fighter said:

"They should just do more events in my opinion. They should just do more events in the United States. I believe they will get big in the United States. I believe that. I believe, like, if ONE has a kickboxing fight there, they can put kickboxing on the map."

Watch the interview below:

While Jonathan Di Bella awaits for ONE to hold more kickboxing matches in North America, he will continue with his campaign, which will see him next at ONE Fight Night 26: Lee vs. Rasulov on Dec. 6 at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. He will go up against Rui Botelho of Portugal.

ONE Fight Night 26 will be aired live and free in U.S. primetime to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Jonathan Di Bella wants to see ONE Championship hold events at Madison Square Garden

Having had the opportunity to compete several times at the world-famous Madison Square Garden in New York, Jonathan Di Bella expressed hope that his mother organization ONE Championship would someday hold events in the venue.

He shared this in the same interview with Combat Sports Today in line with his match at ONE Fight Night 26 on Dec. 6. Asked what his dream venue for a world title fight, Di Bella said:

"Yeah, I fought [at Madison Square Garden] already like five times in the small theater. And then I want to fight, for sure, one day in the big arena. It'll be crazy, man. I don't know whether you know, but the Garden has like a high level and then there's like the main room and then the room right under, I fought in the room right under."

ONE Championship has held live on-ground events in the U.S. the last two years, both in Colorado.