ONE Championship has terminated three key executives from its leadership team: vice president and former UFC fighter Rich Franklin, senior vice president of competition Matt Hume, and chief operating officer John Sehler. The dismissals come amid ongoing financial difficulties and event cancellations for the promotion. The post suggests that ONE Championship's ability to continue functioning as one of the world's leading MMA promotions is increasingly uncertain. Fighters are reportedly leaving the organization, those who remain are fighting infrequently, and major bouts and events are being canceled. The message includes a warning directed at a fighter nicknamed "Tolya" to leave the organization.
ONE Championship has parted ways with three senior members of its leadership team, a development that signals deepening financial strain at the Singapore-based promotion.
The organization dismissed vice president Rich Franklin, senior vice president of competition Matt Hume, and chief operating officer John Sehler. The trio represented a significant portion of ONE Championship's executive infrastructure, and their exits raise serious questions about the promotion's near-term stability.
Franklin, 51, brought considerable credibility to his role. The American southpaw compiled a professional MMA record of 29 wins and 7 losses during his fighting career, standing six feet one inch tall with a 76-inch reach. Known by the nickname "Ace," he averaged 4.1 significant strikes landed per minute with 44 percent striking accuracy, and added a takedown rate of 1.31 per 15 minutes. He transitioned from competitor to executive and had served as a public face for the promotion's fighter relations efforts.
Why it matters
- The simultaneous removal of three executives suggests organizational restructuring driven by financial pressure rather than routine turnover
- Matt Hume's departure is particularly notable given his oversight of competition, a role central to booking and matchmaking
- Fighters are reportedly leaving the roster, bouts are being canceled, and active athletes are competing infrequently, compounding concerns about the promotion's operational health
- A separate warning directed at a fighter identified by the nickname "Tolya" to exit the organization was included in the reporting, hinting at broader instability affecting the roster
The cumulative picture — executive dismissals, event cancellations, fighter departures, and reduced activity for those who remain — paints an increasingly uncertain future for a promotion that has long positioned itself among the world's premier MMA organizations.
