ONE Championship has made substantial changes to its senior leadership, reportedly releasing Vice President Rich Franklin, Senior Vice President of Competition Matt Hume, and Chief Operating Officer John Scheler. These departures represent the most significant upheaval at the top of the organization in recent times, occurring against a backdrop of financial difficulties, cancelled events, and internal restructuring.
Rich Franklin, Matt Hume, and John Scheler Depart ONE Championship
Rich Franklin joined ONE Championship as Vice President in May 2014, transitioning into an executive role after a distinguished mixed martial arts career, which included a UFC middleweight championship and victories over notable fighters. Prior to his tenure at ONE, he provided consultation for the UFC.
For nearly a decade, Franklin was instrumental in ONE’s expansion efforts in the United States, working with sports commissions to gain approval for the promotion’s distinctive ruleset. He also spearheaded the ONE Warrior Series, a platform that identified and developed talent like Stamp Fairtex and Lito Adiwang. As recently as early 2025, Franklin was actively discussing future U.S. events and strategies for growing the promotion’s presence in America.
Matt Hume was part of ONE Championship from its inception, initially serving as the Chief Official and head referee before moving into an executive position in 2012. His responsibilities encompassed matchmaking, talent acquisition, and the oversight of the promotion’s rules and regulations. Hume had a pre-existing relationship with Rich Franklin, having previously coached him during his fighting career. Hume’s time at ONE also saw him face public criticism from figures like manager Ali Abdelaziz and former champion Arjan Bhullar regarding his practices, though these criticisms were later removed from social media.
John Scheler joined ONE in July 2020 as Senior Vice President of Events and Production Development and was later promoted to Chief Operating Officer in March 2022. His prior experience includes senior strategy and operations roles at the XFL and WWE, and service as a captain in the Marine Corps.
ONE Championship has been contending with persistent financial challenges, reporting a substantial net loss of $90 million in 2023, with cumulative deficits exceeding $530 million since its founding in 2011. Financial statements for fiscal year 2024 indicated some superficial improvements but revealed that a significant portion of broadcast revenue was non-cash, leaving actual cash revenue for the year estimated at approximately $19.5 million, barely sufficient to cover operational expenses. The company held only $16 million in cash reserves at the end of 2024.
These recent departures follow earlier layoffs. In October 2024, ONE reduced its workforce by “a few dozen” employees across various departments, including its Singapore headquarters, as part of a strategy to achieve profitability. These cuts affected staff in broadcast, e-sports, finance, marketing, and public relations. The ONE Esports division also underwent significant staff reductions in early 2025.
On the events front, the promotion cancelled its planned return to Denver, Colorado, which had already been rescheduled. This cancellation coincided with the removal of the women’s strawweight MMA division and the release of its champion, Xiong Jingnan. ONE had only hosted two U.S. events since its American debut in 2023, both in Colorado. Reports suggest that Amazon Prime Video, which broadcast ONE’s Fight Night series in the U.S., did not renew its broadcast agreement beyond 2025.
These latest executive changes are consistent with a pattern observed over the past few years. In early 2024, reports indicated the quiet departure of three senior C-suite executives within a three-month period, with no immediate plans to fill those vacancies. The promotion also relocated its global production hub from Singapore to Bangkok in mid-2025 to centralize operations and cut costs. Additionally, relationships with fighters have reportedly been strained, with some former champions publicly requesting their release from contracts and one fighter initiating legal action for alleged breach of contract.
Rich Franklin had consistently expressed enthusiasm for the company’s U.S. expansion plans until early 2025, viewing his work in securing regulatory approvals for ONE’s ruleset in the U.S. as a personal accomplishment. As of this report, neither Franklin, Hume, nor Scheler has made a public statement regarding their departures.