ONE Championship CEO shares huge news with fans- earns a BJJ brown belt

If there’s one thing that sets Chatri Sityodtong apart from other CEOs in rival martial arts organizations, it’s that he is a true martial artist. Last weekend, Sityodtong further stamped that claim by adding yet another accolade to his list of achievements.

The CEO of Singapore-based promotion, ONE Championship, recently took to social media to celebrate receiving his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt.

“By my rough calculation, I have spent at least 2,400 hours on the mats (if not more). It has been a long journey with many ups and downs (and injuries), but I would not change any of it,” Chatri wrote in his post.

“I have been submitted more times than I can remember. I have gone home discouraged more times than I care to admit. I have wanted to give up more times than I can count. For sure, I am not the most talented jiu-jitsu student, but my love for the gentle art is unbreakable.”

The ONE Championship head honcho has been training in BJJ since 2005, when he first walked through the doors of the renowned Renzo Gracie Academy in New York City. Just two years later, he earned his blue belt and then flew to Singapore, where he eventually established ONE Championship.

Running the world’s largest martial arts organization has made Sityodtong a very busy man, but he could somehow find time to continue his training. In 2019, the martial arts entrepreneur received his purple belt in a similar ceremony.

“Despite my crazy work schedule, I committed myself to training 5-6x a week again. It was hard to get back into the gi after so many years without it, but I am now genuinely addicted to it,” Chatri wrote.

“It has not been easy, but it has been a truly extraordinary adventure. Martial arts is what I love. Martial arts is who I am.”

Earning a brown belt in BJJ is a significant accomplishment. It communicates that the practitioner already possesses near-flawless technique and form, and has a firm grasp on their grappling capabilities.

While earning his brown belt is no doubt an incredible achievement for Sityodtong, it’s definitely not the end of his journey. Sityodtong’s final goal remains to earn that black belt he’s been working toward for years.

ONE Championship returns on Friday, 24 September with ONE: REVOLUTION, live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Christian Lee defends his ONE Lightweight World Title against Ok Rae Yoon in the main event.

Read More: Victoria Souza Wanted to Try Zumba, Became Pro MMA Fighter Instead