ONE Championship to launch US$100,000 Muay Thai tournaments with ‘best prospects in world’ fighting for contracts at Lumpinee Stadium

Asian martial arts promotion reveals deal with ‘future of combat sports in Thailand’ to find next generation of stars in Bangkok

‘All gyms in Thailand are welcome to participate and send their best to compete in Road to ONE,’ says Fairtex Fight boss

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Thailand’s Stamp Fairtex holding the ONE atomweight Muay Thai and kickboxing belts. Photos: ONE Championship.

Published: 1:04am, 5 May 2022Updated: 1:48am, 5 May 2022

ONE Championship is on the hunt for the next generation of Muay Thai stars, and it is going right to the source to find them.

On Wednesday, it was revealed that the Asian martial arts promotion has entered into a new partnership with Thailand’s Fairtex Fight Promotion. The two organisations will collaborate on a series of “Road to ONE” Muay Thai tournaments in the country – the birthplace of the sport – with the winners earning US$100,000 ONE contracts.

The new deal was unveiled on Wednesday evening by Fairtex Fight Promotion boss Prem Busarabavonwongs. ONE Championship subsequently confirmed the news to the Post.

Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy kicks Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex in their featherweight Muay Thai championship match at ONE: No Surrender.

“We’re grateful that ONE and Fairtex Fight Promotion are partnering together to create a pathway for athletes to earn a contract to compete in ONE,” Prem said in a release, which he shared on Instagram.

“ONE is the best in the world, and we know there is a lot of talent out there. The weight classes are set for Thai athletes and foreign boxers on our promotion to develop.

“We want a new group of athletes that will follow in the footsteps of boxers like Stamp [Fairtex], Yodsanklai [IWE Fairtex], and Rodtang [Jitmuangnon ]. All gyms in Thailand are welcome to participate and send their best to compete in Road to ONE in Fairtex Fight Promotion.”

The tournaments will be hosted inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, the most famous Muay Thai venue in the world. According to Prem, the first three tournaments will be contested in ONE’s featherweight, bantamweight and atomweight divisions.