One Championship, a mixed martial arts (MMA) company and sports media brand based in Asia, has raised $150 million in finance.
The financing was co-led by Qatar Investment Authority and Guggenheim Investments, Guggenheim Partners’ asset management and investment advisory business.
One Championship, located in Singapore, will use the new funds to broaden its content offerings, which include reality television series, live fights, and e-sports events, among other things.
The company plans to enter the US market, which is home to its archrival Ultimate Fighting Championship, as part of its international development strategy.
According to VentureCap Insights data, Temasek and Sequoia converted US $179 million in convertible notes into equity shares in the company earlier this month.
One Championship was started in 2011 by Chatri Sityodtong, a self-made entrepreneur and longtime martial artist, and is owned and controlled by Group ONE Holdings. The company claims to have aired sports shows to over 2.7 billion people in over 150 countries to date.
To deal with the pandemic’s headwinds, One Championship has lately ventured into reality television. In the first quarter of 2022, Netflix released the first season of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition.
Additionally, it has dabbled with e-sports. Its Dota 2 Singapore Major, which aired earlier this year, drew in 274 million views.
Through social media, athlete-related tales, and digital merchandise such as non-fungible tokens, the company hopes to engage new audiences (NFTs).
