ONE Championship is set to run its quarterly Friday Fights “tentpole” events at Bangkok’s Impact Arena, with the first blockbuster card in 2025 to coincide with production for a new film starring Russell Crowe.
US entertainment news magazine Variety reported the “Gladiator” star will feature as a veteran coach in “The Beast In Me”, which centres around an MMA fighter, played by Daniel MacPherson, coming out of retirement to compete in ONE Championship.
Several scenes will be shot on location at the 11,000-capacity venue on January 24, the martial arts promotion confirmed this week.
ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong will make an appearance in the film, along with “select ONE talent,” according to a press release.
“I am thrilled to be partnering with the star-studded cast and production team behind The Beast In Me,” Chatri said in a statement.
“I am confident ONE is the best platform to help tell their story of grit, perseverance, and determination. We cannot wait to host their entire team in Bangkok at a ONE Friday Fights fight week in January.”
Impact Arena last hosted ONE Championship in June for ONE 167, where Tawanchai PK Saenchai beat Jo Nattawut in the main event by a controversial majority decision – before being booed out of the building. The two will compete in a rematch for the featherweight Muay Thai title at ONE 169 in Atlanta.
Speculation had mounted after this week’s press release was published that another ONE “numbered” event might be held at the same venue in early January to coincide with filming for “The Beast In Me”, given ONE’s Friday Fights events have been exclusive to the more intimate surroundings of Lumpinee Stadium.
But Plai Jitinat, President of ONE Championship Thailand, said in a comment on a Facebook post regarding the film that ONE’s four “tentpole” Friday Fights events would be moving from Lumpinee.
“Next year, the big quarterly competitions will be held at Impact Arena,” Plai wrote.
Academy Award winner Crowe, who co-wrote “The Beast In Me”, had recently discussed the film during an appearance on UFC commentator Joe Rogan’s podcast last month.
Crowe told Rogan that Chatri had “come forward as a potential partner” for the production.
“I got a project that we’re going to do at the end of this year, it’s called ‘The Beast In Me’ and it’s about mixed martial arts fighting,” Crowe said.
“Hooking up with [Chatri] will give the film great production values because we’ll be able to shoot at one of his fights and stuff.”
