Brandon Vera (photo via ONE Championship)

By FCF Staff

In recent years, ONE Championship has become a major player in combat sports by promoting numerous events throughout Asia. But, according to the promotion’s heavyweight champ, Brandon Vera, ONE has the potential to become a major force in North America as well.

The former UFC contender recently spoke with MMA Junkie, and while discussing ONE’s potential in the U.S., Vera said this.

“I think ONE Championship would honestly take America by storm. They were almost ready for Pride. They were almost ready for that style, the Bushido code. They were almost ready back then. Then it fell apart. Life happens, things happen.

“But what ONE Championship is offering now is what Pride had, with six turbos on it and nitrous ready to kick in. I think the US of A would love this product and absolutely adore it as soon as it hit the stands. Because the American culture is ‘doing it for the ‘Gram, doing it for Facebooking, TikTok-ing.’ If we can bring this product to the US as soon as possible to compete with all the other brands, and you can see that this is as real and as true martial arts from their home life to the middle of the ‘circle’. And no bad press, you have real heroes who never get in trouble and don’t do things wrong and try to stay by the book. I think America would eat it up, especially at this time right now.

“People are looking for a guiding light. Something that’s shining that’s not fake or a front. It’s not a sideshow. It’s really real, so I think an American crowd, especially right now, could use this in our lives. It’s something that, man, the universe is drawing us to it. It’s time.”

The 42 year-old Vera (16-8) is coming off a stoppage loss to ONE’s middleweight and light-heavyweight champ, Aung La N Sang. Prior to that, Vera had won four straight.