Martial Arts

Thai Dedduanglek Tded99 (right) lands a kick on fellow countryman Kongsuk Fairtex at the ONE Championship event, ONE Friday Fights, held in September in Bangkok, Thailand. — Photo onefc.com

HCM CITY — Shadow Entertainment has announced a strategic partnership with ONE Championship to push the development of national martial arts.

ONE is the world's largest martial arts organisation, hosting fights across many styles including MMA, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and more.

ONE broadcasts globally to more than 190 countries with an extensive list of partners, which includes Amazon Prime Video Sports, Globo’s Combate, beIN Sports, Abema, Disney+ Hotstar, among others.

Shadow Entertainment is operating in the field of managing and training professional boxers and martial artists and organising sporting events.

It is home to more than 30 local and international athletes such as WBA Asia champions Trương Đình Hoàng, Eric Pen and Lê Hữu Toàn as well as Muay Thai WBC winner Nguyễn Kế Nhơn and WBC Muay Thai International champion Trương Cao Minh Phát.

Following their partnership agreement, Shadow Entertainment proudly announced a professional selection tournament entitle Road to ONE: Việt Nam, realising Vietnamese fighters' dreams to be parts of the world elite competition.

The winner of the event, scheduled in second quarter of 2024, will receive a big contract to compete on ONE Championship's global stage of martial arts which lures the attention of millions of supporters. 

A poster of the Road to ONE: Việt Nam which will take place next summer in Việt Nam. — Photo of Shadow Entertainment

“Road to ONE: Việt Nam is a big jump of Shadow Entertainment in its roadmap to bring Vietnamese boxers to the international professional arena," said Jenny Do, CEO of Shadow Entertainment.

"The cooperation agreement with One Championship and the Road to ONE: Việt Nam will be solid foundation for Việt Nam's combat sports. It also creates playing ground for professional athletes of Muay Thai, kick boxing and MMA in Việt Nam.

"The tournament will also be a great opportunity to introduce and promote Việt Nam's long-standing martial arts heritage to the world."

The Road to ONE series will give martial artists from all over the world a chance to showcase their talents on the global stage. The victors will not only achieve glory but also earn their shot at a coveted roster spot in the promotion.

Road to ONE will pit the best Muay Thai fighters in the world against one another, as participants will vie for guaranteed contracts worth $100,000.

Road to ONE: Việt Nam will be organised and produced according to the strict standards of One Championship, promising fierce fights in the ring.

It will expectedly set a new standard for martial arts events in the country, aiming to improve the quality of martial arts and competitors. — VNS