Photo credit should read ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images
ONE: King of the Jungle will now be a closed-door event due to the Coronavirus presence in Singapore.
ONE Championship is scheduled to hold an event in Singapore on February 28th. But due to the worldwide Coronavirus outbreak that also affected the country, the company was forced to turn the card into a closed-door event.
This new development was revealed by ONE CEO Chatri Sityotdong in a Facebook post on Monday.
“BREAKING NEWS: In light of the coronavirus situation in Singapore, I have made the decision to convert ONE: King of the Jungle on February 28 into a closed event for broadcast only,” he wrote. “The Singapore Indoor Stadium will not be open to the general public, but the event will proceed behind closed doors as scheduled live on all TV and digital platforms across 150+ countries around the world.
“If you purchased tickets to attend the event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, you will receive a full refund. Catch the event live on TV from the comfort of your home on February 28!”
The event was already headed for cancellation but Sityodtong and his team decided to continue.
‘My team and I had the option to cancel the event altogether, but we chose not to cancel it. More than ever, the world needs hope and strength right now,” he stated. “Our heroes are prepared to inspire you with the greatest performances of their lives on February 28.
“We are here to give all of our fans around the world another magical night to celebrate the best of humanity. At ONE Championship, our mission since Day 1 has been to unleash real-life superheroes who ignite the world with hope, strength, dreams, and inspiration.
“Let us unite as a country and let us show strength as a continent to conquer this coronavirus. Let us celebrate what makes us special, what makes us strong, what makes us human. A ship is not made to sit in the calm waters of a harbor. It is made to conquer the rough seas in search of new horizons. With love, compassion, and resilience, we will get through these tough times together. Majulah Singapura! Jiayou China! #WeAreONE ”
The Coronavirus outbreak also forced ONE to move its April 11th card from Chonqing, China to Jakarta, Indonesia. Headlining the said event is a flyweight title fight between Adriano Moraes and former UFC champion Demetrious Johnson.