Karate Combat President Asim Zaidi has accused ONE Championship of attempting to derail their recent event in Bangkok, Thailand. The allegations have sent ripples through the martial arts community, highlighting tensions between competing organizations in the region.
Karate Combat President previously announced an ambitious expansion into Asia, starting with a marquee event in Singapore on September 18th. He criticized ONE Championship’s alleged interference and business practices, claiming they mistreat fighters through inactivity and reduced purses, with some champions preferring retirement over competing under ONE’s terms.
Zaidi recounted cases of fighters expressing interest in joining Karate Combat, including frustrations from stars like Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida over extended inactivity.
According to Zaidi, Karate Combat faced numerous obstacles in the lead-up to their event, with the most severe challenge coming just 48 hours before the show. “Two days before we were being kicked out of our venue. This event was going to be cancelled,” Awesome stated during a post-event address.
The Karate Combat president claims that ONE Championship, specifically mentioning Chatri Sityodtong and his assistant, were behind the efforts to shut down their event. Zaidi alleges that these individuals were “calling police on us, bringing up our licenses, complaining about us, was calling the fighters and the teams to pull fighters out of our event.”
This isn’t the first time Karate Combat has faced such issues. Awesome revealed that they lost their co-main event for a second time due to what he describes as threats from ONE Championship to gyms, potentially jeopardizing future opportunities for fighters.
Zaidi expressed his frustration with what he perceives as monopolistic practices in Thailand’s martial arts scene. “They’ve been controlling Thailand for so long, keeping the fighters down,” he said. “Everyone is mad, all the fighters are coming out and speaking out finally, and we’re here for the fighters.”
The Karate Combat president emphasized his organization’s commitment to providing opportunities for athletes, stating, “We are here to bring opportunities back to them and no more. They will be bullied. No more they will be treated like slaves.”
In a bold move, Awesome declared Thailand as Karate Combat’s “new home,” signaling the organization’s intention to maintain a strong presence in the country despite the alleged opposition.
These accusations, if proven true, could have significant implications for the martial arts landscape in Thailand and potentially beyond.
