ONE Championship has dismissed three senior executives: vice president and former UFC fighter Rich Franklin, senior vice president of competition Matt Hume, and chief operating officer John Schieler. The firings come amid ongoing financial difficulties and event cancellations for the organization. The post suggests that ONE Championship's position as one of the leading MMA promotions globally may be in jeopardy. Fighters are leaving the organization, those who remain are fighting infrequently, major fights and events are being canceled, and now key personnel are being let go.
ONE Championship has parted ways with three prominent executives, a move that signals deepening trouble for the Singapore-based promotion as it battles persistent financial headwinds.
The organization dismissed vice president Rich Franklin, senior vice president of competition Matt Hume, and chief operating officer John Schieler. The departures arrive against a backdrop of event cancellations, reduced fighter activity, and an exodus of talent from the promotion's roster.
Franklin, 51, brought considerable credibility to his front-office role. The American fighter known as "Ace" compiled a professional record of 29 wins and 7 losses during a career that saw him compete at the highest levels of the sport. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, he was a technically sound striker who averaged 4.1 significant strikes per minute with a 44 percent accuracy rate, and he also showed a consistent ground game with 1.31 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- The simultaneous removal of three senior figures — covering operations, competition oversight, and fighter relations — leaves a significant leadership void at a critical moment.
- Ongoing event cancellations have already disrupted fighter schedules across multiple divisions, and the latest instability may accelerate further roster departures.
- ONE Championship has positioned itself for years as a primary alternative to the UFC on the global stage; the current turbulence puts that standing under serious pressure.
The cumulative picture — fighters competing infrequently, marquee bouts shelved, and now a gutted executive team — raises pointed questions about the promotion's ability to stabilize operations and honor its commitments to athletes and broadcast partners in the months ahead.
