8 Most Powerful People In MMA
5. Victor Cui
Casual MMA fans might be saying "who?" right about now. Even some dedicated UFC fans might not be familiar with Victor Cui - because he operates in an entirely different market, so to speak.
Cui is the man behind ONE Championship, the biggest MMA promotion in Asia, a territory the UFC has repeatedly tried to break into over the years. ONE has succeeded where the UFC has struggled, and is valued as high as a billion dollars on its own.
With a background that saw him gain experience in outfits like ESPN Star Sports, the PGA Tour, the Olympic Games, and the Commonwealth Games, Cui was uniquely prepared to bring an MMA promotion to the top in Asia. That's exactly what he has done, surrounding himself with the right people - like former UFC champ Rich Franklin, who serves as ONE Championship's VP - and building a strong roster of local talent with a number of western stars like Ben Askren thrown in the mix.
When you beat the UFC at its own game in territories it desperately wants to break into - that's power.