As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, ONE Championship has decided that it’s not taking any chances. The promotion had already held King of the Jungle inside an empty arena, and moved one event from China to Indonesia, based on the impact of the virus in Wuhan and other parts of mainland China.
Now, ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong has announced that moving forward, all ONE Championship events will go on behind closed doors. At least for the time being, this will be the case up to ONE Infinity 1 in May.
BREAKING NEWS: I have decided to turn all events for ONE Championship into closed-door, audience-free events effective immediately. Bar none, the safety of our fans, athletes, staff, partners, and the public is the highest priority for ONE Championship. https://t.co/piL5ITQ5WE
— Chatri Sityodtong (@yodchatri) March 12, 2020
In a statement on social media, Sityodtong wrote that
My team and I have decided to turn all events for ONE Championship into closed-door, audience-free events effective immediately. Bar none, the safety of our fans, athletes, staff, partners, and the public is the highest priority for ONE Championship. All scheduled ONE events with live audiences will now be suspended until at least May 29, 2020 due to the extraordinary COVID-19 global situation.
For the millions of fans at home around the world, the show will go on from the comfort and safety of your living room. Our global broadcast shows behind closed doors will commence in Singapore with an initial schedule of April 17, April 24, May 1, and May 8 respectively. Bout cards will be announced shortly for these broadcast-only shows, and additional dates will be added in the near future. Also, ONE Infinity Series, the world apex of martial arts events, is now slated to kick off on May 29, 2020 in Manila, Philippines with ONE Infinity 1 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
We are operating in truly extraordinary times, but my team and I remain committed to providing you the best sports and entertainment action available anywhere on global broadcast today. ONE Championship will continue to thrill you with the greatest martial artists on the planet and inspire you with their incredible stories. This virus might be on the attack right now, but I believe in the power of the human spirit. LET’S GOOOOO!!!
To date, KSW and ARES FC have also cancelled or postponed shows, due to the coronavirus pandemic. This weekend’s UFC Brasilia is expected to take place in an empty arena.
