George Calvelo | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Singaporean mixed martial arts fighter Angela Lee enters the stadium during the ONE Championship Spirit of Champions held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, south of Manila on December 11, 2015.
“We have the largest roster, for any global MMA organizations in the world, of Chinese fighters,” Chatri, a former hedge fund manager who founded ONE in 2011, told CNBC in an exclusive interview.
Last year, the company announced a two-year tie up with a Chinese sports development company to organize fight events around China.
The company already boasts some of the best mixed martial artists in the world competing outside the UFC such as Shinya Aoki and Ben Askren. Some of its younger fighters have also gained prominence, such as 19-year-old Angela Lee, who won her first major MMA championship in May.
Chatri also said the company was looking to expand its reach and bolster revenues by securing more broadcasting deals.
“We are in 118 countries right now, globally, but that footprint will be increasing over the next year or so…[and] we hope to negotiate all the media rights,” said Chatri.
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