ONE Championship has terminated three senior executives: Vice President and former UFC fighter Rich Franklin, Senior Vice President of Competition Matt Hume, and Chief Operating Officer John Seiler. The dismissals come amid ongoing financial difficulties and event cancellations for the Asian promotion. The report suggests these changes indicate ONE Championship's viability as a leading MMA organization is in serious question. Fighters are departing, remaining athletes are inactive, key personnel are being let go, and major fights and events are being cancelled, pointing to significant organizational challenges.
ONE Championship has parted ways with three senior executives, a move that signals deepening financial and operational turmoil for the Singapore-based promotion.
Rich Franklin, the organization's Vice President and a former UFC middleweight champion, was among those dismissed. Franklin, 51, compiled a professional record of 29-7-0 during his fighting career, earning the nickname "Ace" while competing out of the United States. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, the southpaw was a prolific striker who averaged 4.1 significant strikes per minute at 44 percent accuracy, while also contributing on the ground with 1.31 takedowns per 15 minutes. He had transitioned into an executive role at ONE Championship following his retirement from competition.
Also terminated were Matt Hume, Senior Vice President of Competition, and Chief Operating Officer John Seiler. Hume had long been regarded as a central figure in shaping the promotion's competitive roster and matchmaking direction. The removal of all three men in what appears to be a coordinated round of cuts underscores the scale of the challenges facing the organization.
Why it matters
- ONE Championship has faced a combination of event cancellations, fighter departures, and executive turnover that collectively raise questions about its long-term stability.
- Losing senior leadership across operations and competition simultaneously removes institutional knowledge at a critical moment.
- Fighters remaining under contract face uncertainty, with reports of reduced activity across the roster.
- The promotion's position as one of Asia's premier MMA organizations is under serious scrutiny as these organizational difficulties accumulate.
