ONE Championship has terminated three key executives: vice president and former UFC fighter Rich Franklin, senior vice president of competition Matt Hume, and chief operating officer John Sheler. The dismissals come amid ongoing financial difficulties for the promotion, which has been canceling events and experiencing fighter departures. The post suggests that ONE Championship's status as a leading global MMA promotion may be in jeopardy. According to the report, fighters are leaving the organization, those who remain are fighting infrequently, and major fights and events are being canceled.
ONE Championship has parted ways with three senior executives, a move that signals deepening organizational strain at the Singapore-based promotion.
The dismissed executives are Rich Franklin, the promotion's vice president and a decorated former UFC middleweight champion; Matt Hume, senior vice president of competition; and John Sheler, the chief operating officer. The terminations come as ONE Championship continues to navigate serious financial difficulties, with the organization canceling events, losing fighters from its roster, and seeing those who remain compete at reduced frequency.
Franklin, 51, brought considerable credibility to ONE Championship's front office. The American southpaw compiled a professional MMA record of 29 wins and 7 losses across a lengthy career before transitioning into an executive role. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, he was a durable and technically active fighter, averaging 4.1 significant strikes landed per minute at 44 percent accuracy during his competing days. His departure removes one of the promotion's most recognizable faces in a corporate capacity.
Why it matters
- ONE Championship is losing experienced leadership at a moment when its operational stability is already under scrutiny
- Ongoing event cancellations and fighter departures suggest the financial difficulties are affecting the product on a structural level
- The simultaneous removal of executives overseeing competition, operations, and fighter relations leaves significant gaps in the organization's leadership structure
- The promotion's standing as a premier global MMA organization is being openly questioned following this latest development
The combined loss of Hume's competition oversight, Sheler's operational management, and Franklin's fighter-facing role represents a significant hollowing out of ONE Championship's senior tier. Whether the promotion can stabilize its finances and rebuild its executive team before further damage is done to its event schedule and fighter relationships remains the central question hanging over the organization.
