Chatri Sityodtong, the leader of ONE Championship, has faced accusations of disrespectful bullying following Sunday's ONE 172 event.
The controversy arose from his public criticism of Japanese Shoot Boxing Champion Kaito Ono, who declined a catchweight bout against Marat Grigorian after the Armenian-Belgian failed to make weight. This incident has strained relations between ONE Championship and Shoot Boxing.
At the post-fight press conference for ONE 172, Sityodtong launched a verbal attack on Ono, accusing him of being "scared" and lacking integrity for refusing the fight. His public shaming of Ono, who was participating in a cross-promotion match, has been widely condemned as unprofessional.
Shoot Boxing, which has a history of successful cross-promotion events with organizations like RISE, K-1, and Glory, entered into an agreement with ONE Championship in good faith. However, Sityodtong’s actions have appeared to jeopardize this relationship. The organization has now formally demanded an apology, citing his unacceptable and disrespectful treatment of Kaito Ono.
The public nature of the ONE chief's remarks has drawn significant attention, with many criticizing his leadership and behavior. In response, Chatri Sityodtong has since retracted his comments.
ONE’s chairman and CEO issued the following statement:
Like all the fans and officials, I was looking forward to the bout between Marat Grigorian and Kaito. Grigorian passed the hydration test after the time limit, which put him 350 grams overweight. At this point, Grigorian was penalized by having 20% of his fight purse forfeited and given to Kaito.
"When a fighter is less than one pound overweight, the standard response in the world’s major mixed martial arts organizations is to negotiate a bout at a catchweight.
"Naturally, I was disappointed when Kaito declined the bout. However, as the CEO of ONE Championship, it was inappropriate for me to express such feelings in a press conference.
"I sincerely apologize and formally retract my comments regarding Kaito’s lack of courage. Kaito is a highly respected champion in Japan.
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