ONE Championship has started to roll out $50,000 performance bonuses as promised by top honcho Chatri Sityodtong as an incentive to fighters who show exemplary performance.
The first batch of fighters to be awarded the $50,000 bonuses are Ekaterina Vandaryeva, Senzo Ikeda, and Saygid Izagakhmaev after the ONE:Heavy Hitters fight night in Singapore on Jan. 14.
ONE announced that even those who suffered losses during the fight night are eligible for the bonus such as Vandaryeva, who suffered a controversial split decision loss to “Supergirl.”
“We look at it from two criteria: one is performance, meaning displaying martial arts technique at the highest levels in the world; and second is gameness, having that finishing, that killer instinct every second of the fight, looking for the finish and not trying to coast, not trying to play safe, to go back to the true essence of what martial arts is about,” explained Sityodtong regarding Vandaryeva’s bonus.
“Martial arts is about finishing, a self-defense situation. It’s about protecting and defending yourself, whether it’s on the street, in the gym, in competition, and I want to make sure that our athletes have that spirit,” he added.
The performance bonuses could be a game changer for fighters out of Team Lakay who were previously rated for their explosiveness inside the ONE circle.
ONE announced it will hand over performance bonuses at a maximum of five fighters and a minimum of one per show and it goes across all different martial arts.
The promotion takes great pride in its high finishing rate for fights, due largely in part to its global martial arts rule set. And with this additional cash bonus up for grabs every event, Sityodtong expects every fighter to actively look for finishes even more and put on a great show for the fans. – Harley F. Palangchao
April 19, 2024
