As Chairman and CEO of Asia’s largest global sports media property, Chatri Sityodtong has swiftly become one of the most important figures in the business industry. A self-made multi-millionaire with a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the ONE Championship boss is a formidable character.
Having begun in 2011 with mixed martial arts events, ONE has since evolved into numerous other ventures including esports, apparel, and reality television.
Its latest undertaking will be “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition”, a revamping of the beloved reality series which will see Sityodtong follow in the footsteps of Donald Trump and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The show is scheduled for distribution in Q4 of 2020.
“One word that describes working for Chatri? Intensity,” said ONE Vice President and former middleweight champion Rich Franklin.
Contestants can expect to be kept on their toes as they seek to impress the man who’s been described as “Asia’s King of Martial Arts.” Not only do they stand a chance to win a US$250,000 job offer, but as Sityodtong’s protégé at ONE, the winner will be given an opportunity to make their own mark.
“He gives you the freedom to do what you need to do. He doesn’t say this, but he lives by this. You have 100% freedom with this company, but you also have 100% responsibility for what you do,” Franklin added.
[YouTube: https://youtu.be/IINkI07Dqnw%5D
Fellow VP and martial arts superstar Miesha Tate gives further insight into life under Sityodtong.
“He translates his passion and inspires you, to pull the most out of you,” said Tate.
Debbie Soon, who is Head of Athleisure at ONE, describes Sityodtong as: “‘Life-Changing. He pushes me to do things I never thought would be possible.”
During his stint on the original American version of the show, Trump coined the catchphrase “You’re Fired!” while Schwarzenegger, naturally, would dismiss contestants by saying, “You’re Terminated!”
Time will tell if Sityodtong will opt to coin his own, but what does seem certain is that contestants will be stepping into the line of fire if they falter, as Franklin warns. And they can also shine if they perform satisfactorily.
“You need to have thick skin in order to work with Chatri, and if you have that kind of thick skin then you can not only be a productive person in this company, but you can really flourish and grow.”
Soon also agrees that contestants need to tread carefully when they go to work under her fiercely passionate leader. But that the payoff and the learnings under Sityodtong’s leadership are all worth it.
“He has a massive temper and he’s not afraid to show it. I’ve come to appreciate all of that, after the storm has blown over,” said Soon.
ONE Championship VP and Head of Product, Niharika Singh has been described as Sityodtong’s eyes and ears on the show and adds to the notion that contestants will be stepping into a ferocious and passionate environment.
“I often tell people that ONE Championship is the company with the most amount of passion and intensity per square foot of office area I have ever seen,” says Singh.
This edition of the show promises to be a particularly intriguing one as, for the first time, contestants will have to overcome physical feats as well as having to grapple with the traditional business challenges. There will also be 12 World Champions and top celebrities which should guarantee some added spice to each episode.
With so many exciting elements in place and the enigmatic Sityodtong at the helm, The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition promises to be quite a ride.
Fight Game Asia 