“UFC want to see, then basically he is cutting in line. But it’s not a true sport. In a sport like this, which is not a true sport, it’s entertainment first,” Team Khabib coach Javier Mendez put it best earlier this year while speaking to Submission Radio. In that honest moment, the AKA head honcho spilled one of the most bitter truths about the UFC — accusing Dana White and his team of running not a pure sport, but an entertainment machine that is designed to hype events and keep fans glued to the action. The rivalries, the bad sport, the entertainment element, the storylines, and the animosity! All to rake in that sweet green cash.
Sounds eerily similar to pro-wrestling, right? Simply put, Javier compared the MMA juggernaut to its sister promotion, WWE, suggesting both operate more as shows than as real sports. Of course, White has always brushed aside these kinds of claims, and many die-hard fans, who continue to believe the UFC represents the “raw” art of striking and grappling, something far removed from WWE’s staged drama. Still, now and then, voices like Mendez’s break through the noise.
Recently, ONE Championship’s rising star, Dua Shkara, weighed in on the ongoing conversation. In an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports’ Andrew Whitelaw, the host asked Shkara about the future of ONE Championship in comparison to the UFC. Rather than directly comparing the two, Shkara emphasized the significant differences in the way each promotion approaches their “marketing approaches,” which are strategically tailored to their respective audiences in the West and East.
Speaking about the UFC, Shkara didn’t hold back, claiming, “They want a villain & a superhero in every single card, which sells fights.” She further explained, “Whereas I think Chatri’s [Sityodtong] mentality is he wants his whole card to be full of superheroes. He wants people to look up to these fighters as opposed to villainizing them. And yeah, it’s an Asian approach for sure. It’s all grounded in martial arts and respect. They don’t like the trash talk — and it makes sense.” Shkara concluded his thoughts by labeling White as nothing more than a “showman and businessman.”
While ONE Championship continues to thrive in Asia, its financial capabilities are still not on par with the UFC’s, which is one of the reasons fighters like former two-division champion Reinier de Ridder recently made the switch to the UFC. Although ONE Championship has made progress in selling its shows to American audiences, fighters like Rodtang, Superlek, and Stamp Fairtex have built strong personal brands that have resonated in the U.S., they still seem far behind. Meanwhile, Dana White, who lacks a martial arts belt, has transformed the UFC into a billion-dollar powerhouse, securing its place at the top of the combat sports world.
That said, the “villain vs. superhero” card approach in UFC events seems a bit overblown when you factor in moments like the infamous UFC 223 press conference bus attack or the UFC 229 post-fight brawl incidents, or UFC 158 (GSP vs Nick Diaz) that led to significant legal and personal consequences for the fighters involved. These events go far beyond the usual superhero vs. villain narrative. The ongoing comparison between ONE Championship and the UFC is nothing new; in fact, their CEOs have exchanged verbal jabs in the past, with Chatri Sityodtong even challenging Dana White to a fight at one point.
UFC CEO Dana White responds to ONE Championship’s boss Chatri Sityodtong
In 2022, ONE Championship announced an MMA-Muay Thai special rules fight between 125lbs GOAT Demetrious Johnson and Rodtang Jitmuangnon for the ONE Championship: X event in Singapore, exciting the world. The unique crossover between these two combat sports intrigued fans everywhere. However, UFC CEO Dana White called the concept “weird” in September 2021. ONE Championship’s CEO, Chatri Sityodtong, didn’t take kindly to the Bossman’s remarks and swiftly challenged White’s knowledge of martial arts.
Sityodtong boldly stated in September, “I don’t even think he knows how to throw a leg kick. He talks like it with his athletes, but I’d love to see a video of him throwing a leg kick. I don’t think he’s even qualified to talk about Muay Thai.” Sityodtong, who has dedicated more than half of his life to studying Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, brings a wealth of expertise to ONE Championship. His deep martial arts background has been key in growing the promotion into a formidable force, expanding into various disciplines in ways the UFC hasn’t.
White, however, wasn’t ready to let the jab slide. In his response, he addressed some of the production issues that ONE had faced in the past, mocking a particular slip-up. “I get it, I got no beef with those guys,” White said almost 2 years later. “Because I called out that production thing for Showtime. Of course, he comes out and says that today or whenever he said it. Yeah, I got no beef with those guys. That was an Espinoza thing, but you have to admit the walkout thing was hilarious. The guy comes out with a coffee, it was like a Saturday Night Live skit.”
Now, the big question is: Can ONE Championship ever dethrone UFC as the global MMA powerhouse, or is UFC’s dominance simply too entrenched in the industry to be overcome? What’s your take on the rivalry between the two promotions? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
The post “They Want a Villain & a Superhero” – Dana White’s Tactics to Sell Fights Under Scrutiny After Popular Content Creator Gives Verdict [Exclusive] appeared first on EssentiallySports.