Filming is already underway in Singapore for The Apprentice (ONE Championship edition). Details about the TV series have been scarce but Chatri Sityodtong confirmed today that some of the biggest names from the world of MMA would be involved.
The ONE Championship CEO / Founder announced on Facebook that Georges St Pierre, Renzo Gracie and Ben Askren would all be making an appearance:
BREAKING NEWS: Please join me in welcoming my good friends, Georges St-Pierre, Renzo Gracie, and Ben Askren, to the cast…
Posted by Chatri Sityodtong on Wednesday, 28 October 2020
He stated that Demetrious Johnson, Angela Lee, Brandon Vera, Sage Northcutt, Xiong Jing Nan and Ritu Phogat would also be involved. There is no word yet on the identity of the 16 contestants.
The show will follow the standard ‘The Apprentice’ format. The contestants will compete for a ONE Championship job working for Chatri with a $250,000 USD salary.
The show will be filmed in Singapore. Previous editions of ‘The Apprentice’ have been fronted by Donald Trump, Alan Sugar and Tony Fernandes.
However Chatri says that this version of the TV series will be unlike any of its predecessors,
“It is a completely new, crazy, and intense edition with lots of jaw-dropping surprises and adrenaline-filled challenges.”
With so many mixed martial artists involved the challenges are likely to be fitness or fighting related. St Pierre is the former UFC welterweight champion, Askren is the former ONE Championship welterweight champion and Gracie is an MMA pioneer who comes from a family of famous submission specialists.
In his post Chatri stated that the Singapore government was lending its supporting to the show. ONE Championship recently received special dispensation to fly international fighters in for events.
ONE: ‘Inside the Matrix’ is set for Friday at the Singapore Indoor Stadium and will feature the likes of Aung La Nsang, Martin Nguyen and Xiong Jing Nan. There will be a limited live audience but Covid-19 regulations might prevent cast members of ‘The Apprentice’ from attending.
