ONE Championship has dismissed three key executives from its team: vice president and former UFC fighter Rich Franklin, senior vice president of competition Matt Hume, and chief operating officer John Schieler. The firings come against a backdrop of ongoing financial problems and event cancellations. The post suggests ONE Championship's position as a leading global MMA promotion may be in jeopardy, citing departing fighters, inactive remaining fighters, key staff dismissals, and cancelled major bouts and events. The author warns fighters to consider leaving the organization.
ONE Championship has parted ways with three senior executives, raising fresh questions about the organization's stability as it continues to grapple with financial difficulties.
The promotion confirmed the dismissals of Rich Franklin, its vice president and a decorated former UFC middleweight champion; Matt Hume, senior vice president of competition; and John Schieler, the company's chief operating officer. The departures come amid a broader pattern of concern surrounding the Singapore-based promotion, including event cancellations, fighter departures, and shelved marquee bouts.
Franklin, 51, brought significant credibility to ONE Championship's front office. The American veteran compiled a professional record of 29 wins and 7 losses across his fighting career, establishing himself as one of the sport's more recognizable names from his UFC tenure. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, the southpaw averaged 4.1 significant strikes per minute during his career and demonstrated consistent takedown ability at 1.31 per 15 minutes.
Hume's exit is particularly notable given his role overseeing competitive operations — a position central to matchmaking and talent management. Schieler's departure as COO removes another layer of operational leadership at a moment when the organization can least afford institutional disruption.
Why it matters
- THREE senior executives gone simultaneously signals deep organizational instability, not routine restructuring
- Franklin and Hume were prominent public-facing figures whose credibility helped attract fighters and broadcast partners
- Ongoing event cancellations and fighter inactivity compound the leadership vacuum
- Fighters currently under ONE Championship contract may face increased uncertainty about the promotion's future commitments
The cumulative picture — key staff dismissed, major events shelved, fighters sitting idle or leaving — points to a promotion facing a genuinely critical period. Whether ONE Championship can stabilize its operations without its experienced leadership trio remains an open and pressing question.
