ONE Championship has dismissed three key executives: vice president and former UFC fighter Rich Franklin, senior vice president of competition Matt Hume, and chief operating officer John Sehler. The layoffs come amid ongoing financial difficulties and event cancellations for the promotion. The post suggests ONE Championship is struggling to continue operating as one of the leading MMA promotions globally, citing departing fighters, inactive rosters, executive layoffs, and canceled major bouts and events. The post ends with a warning to fighters to leave the organization.
ONE Championship has parted ways with three prominent executives as the Asia-based promotion continues to navigate serious financial headwinds, according to reports published April 16, 2026.
The organization dismissed Rich Franklin, vice president and a decorated former UFC middleweight champion, alongside senior vice president of competition Matt Hume and chief operating officer John Sehler. The simultaneous removal of three high-ranking figures signals deepening instability within one of the world's most recognized MMA promotions outside the UFC.
Franklin, 51, brought considerable credibility to his role at ONE Championship. The American southpaw compiled a professional record of 29-7-0 during his fighting career, establishing himself as one of the sport's most technically sound middleweights. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, he averaged 4.1 significant strikes per minute with 44 percent striking accuracy across his career, and added a respectable 1.31 takedowns per 15 minutes to his offensive arsenal. After retiring from competition, Franklin transitioned into an executive position with ONE, where he served as a prominent face of the promotion's global operations.
Why it matters
- The departures of a COO and two senior vice presidents simultaneously suggest the financial strain at ONE Championship is acute, not cosmetic.
- Roster attrition, inactive fighter contracts, and canceled events compound the leadership vacuum left by these dismissals.
- Fighters currently under ONE Championship contracts are reportedly being urged by outside voices to seek exits from the organization.
The broader picture drawn by these developments is one of a promotion under significant pressure. Canceled bouts, departing athletes, and now executive-level layoffs paint a troubling portrait for a company that positioned itself as a legitimate rival to the UFC on the global stage. Whether ONE Championship can stabilize operations remains an open question as these circumstances continue to unfold.
