ONE Championship had another successful evening in Colorado, with ONE 168: Denver. The night had many surprises inside the Circle, but ONE Chairman and CEO, Chatri Sityodtong, also had a surprise of his own.
During the broadcast, Sityodtong was hyping up the card in the commentary booth when Renzo Gracie slid into the frame with a huge surprise.
After years of rolling on the mats, Sityodtong was graced with his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.
The Chairman and CEO was overcome with emotion in the moment with the promotion. After the event, Sityodtong took to social media to explain why the moment meant so much to him.
“When I first stepped into your [Gracie] school in 2005 while I was living in New York City, I had no idea that it would mark the beginning of the biggest adventure of my life. As you already know, both ONE and EVOLVE would never have been born without you. You inspire me to dream more, do more, and be more in life,” Sityodtong wrote on Instagram.
“Through jiu-jitsu, I have learned not only how to fight, but more importantly how to live. I will continue to honor you and the Gracie name in everything I do. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart, Renzo!!!”
Sityodtong has consistently sung the praises of jiu-jitsu and has remained dedicated to the sport, with daily training sessions held wherever he is in the world. The black belt was not given lightly and honored his consistent progression in the art form.
Undoubtedly, the special moment made ONE 168 an even more unforgettable experience for the ONE Chairman and CEO. Every moment of ONE 168 can be re-lived on demand on Prime Video.