ONE Championship: Chatri threatens to strip Arjan Bhullar of title, as Reinier De Ridder and Anatoly Malykhin trade barbs
- ONE CEO admits ‘frustration’ with heavyweight champ, whom he thinks is ‘scared and buying all the time that is possible’
- De Ridder and Malykhin verbally spar at Prime Video 5 press conference in Manila but agree Bhullar should not keep belt
Arjan Bhullar’s inactivity could finally see him stripped of ONE Championship’s heavyweight MMA title.
ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong told the Post at Wednesday’s ONE on Prime Video 5 press conference in Manila that officials are frustrated with the 36-year-old Indian-Canadian, who has not fought since winning the belt more than 18 months ago.
“I’ll be respectful,” Chatri said, before pausing with a smile. “I think he’s scared and he’s buying all the time that is possible. But the eventuality is either he fights or we will strip him.
“We’re at that point. I think my team is very frustrated because it’s one excuse after another for not wanting to fight.
“If he doesn’t fight soon he’ll be stripped and it will be our first time ever in the history of ONE stripping a champion.”
Bhullar won the title from Brandon Vera in April 2021 via second-round TKO, but then entered a long contract dispute with the promotion. In the meantime, ONE created an interim heavyweight title, which was won by Anatoly Malykhin.