Today, the global martial arts industry revolves around two major organizations: the American UFC and the Singaporean ONE Championship. The former remains the recognized leader in MMA, while the latter is gradually strengthening its position in Asia and actively entering the Western market. Against the backdrop of growing competition, many viewers are increasingly asking themselves what exactly distinguishes these two promotions.
ONE and UFC have different approaches to tournament formats, fight rules, working with fighters, and compensation systems. Below are the main differences that shape the unique profile of each brand.
Fight rules
The differences between the organizations begin with their overall philosophy. The UFC is entirely focused on mixed martial arts: all tournaments are exclusively MMA under the rules adopted by the US athletic commissions. This approach has created a standardized product that is easy to broadcast and regulate.
ONE Championship uses a different principle. Formally, the company also holds MMA tournaments, but its format is broader. The same event can feature fights in several disciplines: kickboxing, Muay Thai, and submission grappling. This creates a more diverse card, where viewers can see several styles in one evening.
In MMA fights, ONE uses the so-called Global Martial Arts Ruleset. It is largely similar to the UFC rules, but there is one important difference: knee strikes to the head of a downed opponent are allowed. Previously, soccer kicks were also allowed, but they were later banned in line with the requirements of international regulators.
Other disciplines also have their own nuances:
Muay Thai is fought with open 4-ounce gloves, which increases the risk of knockout;
kickboxing is conducted according to K-1 rules; grappling consists of one 10-minute round, where the outcome is determined by the number of actual submission attempts.
Promotions also differ in their approach to weight classes. The UFC uses traditional limits, where fighters often resort to extreme weight cutting before weigh-ins. ONE has banned this practice: weight limits are tied to the athlete’s “fighting weight,” and a hydration test is conducted before the fight. The goal is to minimize the health risks associated with severe dehydration.
Salaries and bonus system
Athletes’ earnings remain one of the most secretive topics for both promotions, but the overall picture differs.
The UFC publishes base payouts only for select tournaments where required by local athletic commissions. The whole fee structure, including PPV percentages, remains private, but many high-level fighters still earn significant sums thanks to their status, media activity, and broadcast sales.
ONE Championship follows a different model. The organization rarely discloses specific payments, but its management claims to offer large fixed contracts to elite athletes. For example, significant budgets are spent on fighters such as Rodtang and Demetrious Johnson to position them as international stars.
In addition to fees, ONE uses the “ONE Warrior Bonus” system: an athlete can receive $50,000 for a spectacular performance, demonstration of character, or a spectacular finish to a fight.
Although this system appears transparent, the overall financial terms of the contracts remain closed. By comparison, UFC fighters publicly discuss the size of their payments, which regularly draws criticism of the company. There are fewer such public discussions at ONE, but there is also significantly less objective data.
Fighters careers
The approach to roster formation is another important distinguishing feature.
The UFC builds a fighter’s career path based on the Western sports model. Athletes go through regional promotions, then Dana White’s Contender Series, and only then sign a contract with the organization. The ranking system plays an important role, linked to big fights, contender status, and promotion to the title.
ONE Championship operates differently. The company is active in Asia and focuses on a wide range of disciplines, allowing it to attract talent from Muay Thai, kickboxing, and grappling, in addition to MMA fighters. Selection takes place not only through world tournaments, but also through its own events, such as ONE Friday Fights at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
ONE has many world-class Muay Thai champions whose styles do not always translate to MMA, but that makes the organization unique. The UFC, on the other hand, builds its roster exclusively around MMA careers.
The age profile of the fighters also differs. In ONE, a significant proportion are Muay Thai athletes who start fighting from childhood, which makes them very experienced but often worn out by the age of 25-30. In the UFC, debut age is usually higher, and career peaks come later.
The promotions also have different international strategies. The UFC has long been established in the US, Canada, Europe, and South America. ONE is active in Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, and Vietnam, focusing on Asian audiences and expanding its broadcasts across digital platforms, including Amazon Prime Video.