Victor Cui
From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
Victor Cui | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Cui in 2012 | |||||||
| Born | 1971 or 1972 (age 52–53) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | ||||||
| Education | University of Alberta | ||||||
| Occupation | Sports executive | ||||||
| Known for | Former CEO of ONE Championship and the Edmonton Elks | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 崔伟德 | ||||||
| |||||||
| Website | victorcui | ||||||
Victor Cui (/kwiː/) is a Canadian sports executive who most recently was the president and CEO of the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League from 2022 to 2023.[1]
Cui was previously the co-founder and CEO of ONE Championship (ONE), a mixed martial arts organization based in Singapore.[2][3][4]
Early life
[edit]Cui was born in Edmonton, Alberta, to Filipino parents and has Chinese ancestry on his father's side.[5] At the age of five, Cui and his family left Edmonton for West Africa, and they returned to Edmonton when he was 13.[6] Cui attended the University of Alberta, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta.[7]
Career
[edit]Before setting up ONE in 2011, Cui had nearly 15 years of experience in the sports media industry and was behind Martial Combat, a promotion which ran two shows per month at Resorts World Sentosa from May to October in 2010.[8]
Cui has previously worked as a senior executive at ESPN Star Sports and the PGA Tour and has also been involved in X Games, Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and many other sporting events.[9]
The first ONE show, ONE Fighting Championship: Champion vs. Champion, took place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 3 September 2011 and featured Phil Baroni, Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Gregor Gracie, and Eduard Folayang.
According to Cui, everyone, including his wife, told him to use a smaller venue, but he was determined to prove them wrong.[10] Since then the Singapore based promotion has held sold out events in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore,[11] secured a ten-year TV deal with ESPN Star Sports[12] and signed various fighters.
ONE Elite Agency
[edit]In November 2018, Cui launched a new global company called ONE Elite Agency. The agency manages martial arts athletes from ONE Championship, esports players, artists and musicians.
Edmonton Elks
[edit]In January 2022, Cui was named the president and CEO of the Edmonton Elks, replacing Chris Presson who was fired after the 2021 season.[13][14] Cui explained his decision to return to Edmonton to lead the team he grew up watching as "a dream come true".[14] In the team's first home game under Cui's leadership, the Elks hosted "Stand With Ukraine" night in support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation.[15]
Cui and the Elks mutually parted ways in August 2023, as the Elks were in the midst of a 22-game home losing streak that began in 2019. According to Cui, the move was made to allow him to focus on his family.[16]
Awards and recognitions
[edit]Cui has been described as "The most powerful man in Asian MMA" due to ONE's success and his relationships with other people in the industry.[17] He was one of only five candidates to be nominated for 'Leading Man of the Year' the 2012 World MMA Awards[18] and the only representative of an Asian promotion on this shortlist.
Cui's family is originally from Cebu, and he was a major awardee at the 31st SAC-SMC Cebu Sports Awards on March 17, 2013 for his work in turning ONE into the biggest MMA organization in Asia and showcasing Filipino fighters.[19]
Personal life
[edit]Cui has a black belt in Taekwondo, as does his wife, and has been a fan of Mixed Martial Arts ever since watching UFC 1.[20] He lives in Edmonton with his wife, two children and parents.[21] Cui also was a reservist in the Royal Canadian Navy.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ "Elks name Edmonton-born Cui president and CEO - TSN.ca". TSN. The Canadian Press. 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
- ^ "Mixed martial arts-ONE FC returning to Manila in May". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
- ^ "Asian MMA: Yasuhiro Urushitani vs. Shinichi Kojima Flyweight Title bout set for ONE FC in Jakarta". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
- ^ "Aoki cruises to ONE FC lightweight title". eurosport.com. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
- ^ "Canadians play big role on Myanmar MMA card". myKawartha.com. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
- ^ "Former Albertan Victor Cui looks to build mixed martial arts circuit in Asia". Global News. June 21, 2012. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
- ^ "Epsilon Alpha 2012 – 2013 Chapter History". Phi Gamma Delta.
- ^ "ONE FC CEO TOUTS 'UFC OF ASIA,' DEBUT SHOW TO STREAM ON SHERDOG". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
- ^ "Victor Cui: ONE FC Will Be King of MMA in Asia". mmafighting.com. 30 August 2011. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
- ^ "ONE FC's CEO Victor Cui: Pure Genius, Pure Filipino". yahoo.com. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
- ^ "ONE FC CEO Victor Cui talks Hong Kong debut, UFC in Singapore, Fernandes vs. Aoki and more". mmamania.com. 24 July 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
- ^ "ONE FC Announces Asian TV Deal with ESPN". mmaweekly.com. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ^ "Victor Cui, co-founder of MMA's One Championship, named Elks president and CEO". The Toronto Star. 2022-01-25. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
- ^ a b c "Elks announce ONE Championship's Victor Cui as new president, CEO". CTV News Edmonton. 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
- ^ "SIMMONS: Argos and the rest of the CFL should 'Stand With Ukraine' as the Elks are doing". Toronto Sun. June 1, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
- ^ Swensrude, Stephanie (August 15, 2023). "Victor Cui out as president and CEO of Edmonton Elks football team". Global News. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
- ^ "Cebuano most powerful MMA organizer in Asia". Philippines Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ^ "FIGHTERS ONLY WORLD MMA AWARDS 2012: RESULTS". Fighters Only. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ^ "World taekwondo champ, MMA promoter get award". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ^ "Promoters Circling One Another as M.M.A. Takes Root in Asia". New York Times. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ^ "Elks President and CEO Victor Cui". Edmonton Elks. Retrieved 2022-12-11.