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| (Image Source: Sportskeeda/ONE Championship) |
ONE Championship, the world’s largest martial arts organization, announced that ONE 168: Denver at Ball Arena generated $18M (18 million dollars) in total economic impact for the Denver region this past September according to a study conducted by the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (EDC). This was on par with similar events of its size that have previously come to Ball Arena, per the EDC. After a successful U.S. debut at the sold-out 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado in May 2023, ONE returned to the Centennial State in September 2024, drawing a near-capacity crowd of just under 10,000 attendees at Ball Arena.
Key highlights from the study include:
• More than half of the near-capacity crowd traveled from out-of-state to attend ONE 168, generating over $15M (15 million dollars) in economic impact (83% of the total $18M impact).
• Direct spending activity generated by ONE 168 exceeded $9M (9 million dollars), encompassing transportation, lodging, food and beverage, and leisure expenses. Notably, over 50% of fans traveled in from out of state, contributing $7.5M (7.5 million dollars).
• Out-of-state attendees traveled with an average of two additional people and stayed in Denver for an average of three nights.
• Nearly 6,590 room nights were attributed to the event, accounting for group size and average length of stay. Direct impact from this spending totaled $1.4M (1.4 million dollars), supporting local hotels and short-term rentals.
• $6.3M (6.3 million dollars) in labor income was generated for Colorado residents, with 146 jobs supported.
Economist and Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Metro Denver EDC Senior Manager of Economic Competitiveness Hanna Scovill stated, “This event successfully attracted a substantial number of out-of-state visitors, significantly boosting Colorado’s economy and supporting local jobs through $15M new dollars to the state. This underscores the importance of supporting the region’s thriving arts, culture, and entertainment industry which provides unmatched talent and incredible economic growth for Colorado.” ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong stated, “We are incredibly proud to have generated $18M (18 million dollars) in economic impact for the greater Denver region during ONE 168 this past September, as well as $108M (108 million dollars) in media value from our global broadcast and digital stream for our partners. ONE Championship has some of the most passionate fans in the world, and we would like to thank them for traveling in, along with all our fans in Colorado for attending and making the event such a memorable night. We would also like to thank our local partners Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce for their support in making the event such a huge success. We look forward to creating more unforgettable memories and having a similar impact on the local economies in our continued U.S. expansion.” Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President and Metro Denver EDC President Raymond H. Gonzales stated, “It’s incredible to see the economic impact of ONE 168 in Metro Denver. The success of this event reflects how powerful a role our arts, culture, and entertainment industry plays in our economic prosperity. When we are able to attract so many visitors for a unique event like ONE Championship, businesses of all industries benefit from the influx of travelers and spend that fuels our communities.”
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| (Image Source: Combat Press/ONE Championship) |
ONE Championship will return to Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado for ONE 173: Denver on August 1, 2025. In one of the headline World Championship bouts, ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion Stamp Fairtex will face interim titleholder Denice Zamboanga in a highly anticipated World Title unification showdown. Stamp, the first three-sport World Champion in ONE history, will return to the U.S. for the first time since knocking out Alyse Anderson in highlight-reel fashion at ONE Fight Night 10. The Thai superstar will be making her first Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title defense after defeating Ham Seo Hee for the vacant belt at ONE Fight Night 14. Zamboanga, a Filipina MMA star who captured the Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title by knocking out Alyona Rassohyna at ONE Fight Night 27, will have to take out a friend and former training partner in Stamp to become the undisputed divisional queen. Sityodtong stated, “I am thrilled to announce that ONE Championship will be back at Ball Arena this August with one of our biggest events of the year. Stamp Fairtex and Denice Zamboanga, former training partners and now rivals, will step inside the Circle to unify the Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship in a fight the entire world is waiting for. And that is just the first of several blockbuster bouts we have planned for this stacked card.” Stamp said, “I’m so happy to be going back to the U.S. again. I was supposed to face Denice last year, but unfortunately, I got injured. Now, we finally get to fight for the belt. I was blown away by the support I received from all of my U.S. fans at ONE Fight Night 10, and I can’t wait to put on a show for them again this August at ONE 173.” Zamboanga said, “This upcoming fight against Stamp in the United States is a dream come true for me. It’s not just a personal milestone but a significant moment for the Philippines. Representing my country on such a grand stage fills me with immense pride. I am ready to give my all and bring honor to our nation.” ONE will write the next chapter of its North American expansion on August 1, 2025 featuring the must-see matchup between Stamp and Zamboanga to crown the undisputed ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion. Additional marquee bouts for ONE 173 and global broadcast details will be announced in the near future.
