ONE exec Rich Franklin: Promoting MMA in Asia harder than dark days of U.S.

Former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin did a lot of legwork for the promotion in the U.S., trying, he said, to “spread the gospel of MMA” at a time when skepticism about the sport was still prevalent.

Eventually, opinions changed, and the UFC grew into an international powerhouse, in no small part due to fighters such as Franklin, who as a well-spoken representative lent the sport credibility.

Now, the ex-champ is doing the same job in Asia, helping to promote ONE Championship and convince officials and the general public that the action in the cage is worth getting behind.

“Our job over here is much tougher,” Franklin told MMAjunkie Radio. “What we have to do is spread MMA is so much tougher than what was happening in the states because MMA was accepted in Las Vegas and Atlantic City; those were the two places where MMA events were held early on in the world of MMA once everything started becoming accepted. But then you had to move into these other athletic commissions in states like Ohio. But you’re basically repeating the same routine.

“When we go into a territory like Indonesia, and we’re introducing MMA, and then we turn around and go to China, it’s night and day difference. There’s no similarities. So every time we go into a new territory, it’s like starting back over from ground zero again.”

And yet, ONE Championship continues its march around the world, most recently promoting its eighth event in Singapore. Events have been held in China, Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, Malaysia and Indonesia.

ONE Championship CEO Victor Cui has targeted aggressive expansion in China and aims to promote 50 events per year, giving Franklin (29-7 MMA, 14-6 UFC) a lot of legwork to do in new and existing territories.

But the 40-year-old fighter, who still aims to compete one last time in the UFC before hanging up his gloves, the task is one he’s used to.

For more on ONE Championship’s upcoming schedule, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.

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