Is ONE Championship in deep trouble? That’s what fans have been suggesting after the promotion made one of its biggest changes yet. In a drastic move, it shut down an entire MMA division and parted ways with its long-standing champion, leaving its entire fan base concerned.

According to a report by Bangkok Post, ONE Championship has officially closed its strawweight division and released the 115 lbs champion Xiong Jingnan. The report states that the Chinese star was informed of the decision and wished her well for her future endeavors. However, the promotion left the door slightly open, noting she could return if the division is reinstated.

For a promotion as popular in Asia as ONE Championship, shutting down an entire division is a major call. So what made Chatri Sityodtong and his team take this step? Well, the strawweight roster had become too shallow, forcing the organization to make a tough decision.

For context, Xiong Jingnan had not defended her title since defeating Angela Lee in 2022, which effectively stalled the division. Well, the promotion planned for her grand return against Stamp Fairtex, but that bout fell through due to Fairtex’s injury.

Following that cancellation, ‘The Panda’ finally returned in 2025 against Meng Bo in atomweight, meaning her title still went undefended. Meanwhile, fighters like Ayaka Miura moved to atomweight, and Tiffany Teo shifted to flyweight, further thinning the division.

So, with key names gone, ONE likely had little choice but to shut it down. That said, as ONE Champ is going through a difficult time, the situation somewhat mirrors when Dana White once considered scrapping the UFC flyweight division, which was ultimately saved by Henry Cejudo.  

However, that’s not all, as ONE Championship has also parted ways with another decorated champion recently, adding to concerns about its current state.   

ONE Championship raises concerns with more firings

In ONE Championship’s surprising axing spree, divisional champions like Adriano Moraes and Zebaztian Kadestam saw their names on the list. Two other fighters, Mauro Cerilli and Ilya Freymanov, were also cut by the promotion, which surprised everyone.

Now, the firing of four marquee fighters has definitely raised questions about the promotion’s overall standing in the market. However, axing Adriano Moraes, who fought UFC legend Demetrious Johnson in the most famous trilogy in the company’s history, has been the most unexpected decision. But for a well-oiled machine like ONE Champ, taking that decision wasn’t easy. So, what prompted them to part ways with them?

Last year, prominent MMA journalist John S. Nash reported on his Substack website that the company had suffered a huge cumulative loss of $530 million and was left with only $24 million in net assets. Although Nash later added that ONE Champ received $50 million in funding, taking their total assets to $75 million, it still didn’t seem enough. So, the Asian company’s financial troubles could also be the reason behind this mass cutting.

That said, what do you think about ONE Championship’s present situation? Let us know in the comments section below.