Numbers Don’t Lie UFC, ONE Championship Are A Global Martial Arts Duopoly

Martial arts is an expansive industry. However, two organizations stand at the top of the marketplace, well ahead of every other competitor. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and ONE Championship lead the way from all fronts as 2023 begins.

The two behemoth martial arts companies are the only two in the industry with a market cap of over $1 billion. The UFC currently has a $10 billion cap, with ONE checking in at $1.4 billion. The next closest is the Professional Fighters League (PFL) at $500 million.

And fans are devouring their content, specifically on social media. While Bellator and PFL are under 10 million followers across the main social platforms, the UFC has over 115 million followers, and ONE has over 54 million. Based on videos published to the platforms, ONE outperforms the rest of the organizations combined with over 7 billion organic video views.

The UFC chimed in with 4.3 billion video views, while Glory Kickboxing pulled in 877 million. Bellator and the PFL registered just over 200 million over the last year. The difference in numbers was also reflected in the 2022 Nielsen Year In Review report, with ONE showing 13.8 billion total digital video views, ahead of the UFC’s 6.6 billion views. Per the same report, ONE is leading the way in global cumulative television reach with 406 million viewers, ahead of the UFC’s 259 million.

While the UFC leads the way on YouTube with nearly 6 billion in cumulative viewership, ONE is right behind with over 3 billion. The next closest competitor is Rizin with 626 million in total viewership, and Bellator at around 569 million. It is a clear indicator of the sport’s global duopoly.

And it is evident with the 2023 plans that the two martial arts leaders will keep the momentum rolling. Each organization gives athletes the most opportunities. Each organization has over 600 athletes competing, and both are planning dozens of events in the new year. ONE’s 2023 schedule will only outdo the UFC’s slate of over 40 shows with 68 scheduled events for the year.

With martial arts continuing to grow around the world, ONE and the UFC are carrying the banner in 2023. The level of martial arts only continues to rise with the investment and support from top-tier organizations committed to its rise. The global duopoly is providing athletes with the biggest platforms and biggest opportunities.

News, One championship, Ufc, Mixed martial arts

Black Belt Magazine