Chatri Sityodtong may not fit the traditional celebrity mold, but he stands as a prominent figure in his field. Hailing from Thailand, Sityodtong is best known as the founder and chairman of ONE Championship, Asia’s largest global sports media platform. Under his leadership, this mixed martial arts organisation has significantly influenced the sport across Asia.
Sityodtong’s journey to establishing ONE Championship is a tale of resilience and inspiration. Rising from a childhood of poverty and hardship, he discovered a deep passion for martial arts, which guided him through adversity. Training in Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and boxing, he earned recognition as a skilled martial artist. Fueled by a visionary entrepreneurial spirit, he founded ONE Championship in 2011 to celebrate authentic martial arts and provide a global stage for Asian athletes. Today, ONE Championship is a global sensation, hosting events in major cities worldwide and boasting a massive, dedicated fan base.
According to Nielsen, ONE ranks among the top 10 sports media properties worldwide in viewership and engagement, alongside major entities like the NBA, F1, Champions League, and EPL. With flagship properties such as ONE Championship and ONE Esports, ONE showcases Asia’s vibrant cultural phenomena—Martial Arts and Gaming—while embodying values of integrity, humility, honor, respect, courage, discipline, and compassion. As the world’s largest martial arts organization, ONE is committed to highlighting real-life superheroes, telling impactful stories, celebrating core values, igniting dreams, inspiring nations, and making a global difference.
In addition to his role with ONE Championship, Sityodtong is a notable philanthropist, leveraging the transformative power of martial arts to support underprivileged communities. His remarkable rags-to-riches story has captured the attention of major media outlets, including BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, and CNBC. Sityodtong is also the latest star of The Apprentice, the award-winning, global reality TV show on Netflix. Recognized by the Financial Times as Asia’s King of Martial Arts and named Asia’s 2nd Most Powerful Person in Sports by FOX Sports, he is also listed among Asia’s top 100 business leaders by Business Insider.
With over 35 years of martial arts experience, Sityodtong is a Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee. He is a certified senior Muay Thai instructor under the esteemed Kru Yodtong Senanan and holds a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Master Renzo Gracie.
Sityodtong earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and his BA from Tufts University.
