LAS VEGAS – Last year, after announcing his move to ONE Championship, long-reigning UFC champion Demetrious Johnson talked about how excited he was to step away from the often aggressive process that went into promoting fights in North America. Moving into a different market, for Johnson, meant a chance to truly be embraced for who he was as a martial artist. “It’s in everybody’s DNA in Asia,” Johnson said. “It’s always about respect and promoting the fight the correct way as a true martial artist: We’re going to go in there and test our skills against each other.” Over the next months, similar arguments were made by other high-profile signings. Miesha Tate, who joined ONE Championship as vice president, praised the promotion for offering a platform for less boisterous fighters, who are “more about the martial artist and the story of where they came from.” Earlier this week , Sage Northcutt said he appreciated that everybody, from fellow fighters to promotion officials, “has respect for each other” in his new home. Add ONE Championship’s most recent addition , former UFC champion and MMA legend Vitor Belfort , to the list of those who are appreciative of the promotion’s model – and critical of the alternative. “I see ONE Championship as a global organization that is changing the perception of how people see fights,” Belfort said during a Q&A on Thursday.
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