Inside the ring, Jonathan “The General” Haggerty takes care of business. Outside of it, he has been quietly building something that has everything to do with who he is beyond it.
The reigning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion defends his 26 pounds of gold against Japanese challenger Yuki Yoza at ONE SAMURAI 1 inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena on Wednesday, April 29.
Before his return on the inaugural edition of ONE’s new monthly Japanese series, there is another side of the Londoner worth getting acquainted with, one that has been taking shape for some time — modeling.
He has been building modeling work steadily, acquiring more shoots, brand partnerships, and invitations that have nothing to do with fighting.
For an athlete who has long understood that what happens outside the ring matters as much as what happens inside it, the timing feels right:
“That’s something we’re working on behind the scenes. Fighting doesn’t last forever, and it’s something I like doing and expressing – not just the fighting side, but the outside world as well.
“It’s always great and important to build your portfolio beyond the ring. Over the years, that’s been one of my focus areas. World Titles, bonuses, and fighting are always first, but you know, letting people see more of ‘The General’ from a non-fighter’s perspective is really cool.”
The belt has opened doors that extend well beyond the arena. Success on the global stage has translated into credibility that turns heads in rooms Haggerty would not have found himself in a few years ago.
One invitation stands apart. Last January, he attended a Stone Island event in Milan and a private dinner that put him in the same room as stylists who have worked with some of the biggest names in music and culture.
The 29-year-old told onefc.com:
“Being invited to the Stone Island event and a private dinner with Stone Island in Milan was great. There were big stylists there who had worked with people like Pharrell Williams. Having dinner with people like that has been something else.”
His appearance at the “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man” premiere told a similar story.
Haggerty showed up in a two-piece from Batch LDN, a London-based sustainable fashion brand, that had nothing to do with playing it safe. And he felt completely at home in it. His comfort in front of a camera has grown in step with his willingness to take risks with what he wears.
He said:
“I’m getting more comfortable wearing it as I go along. It’s always good to switch with fashion.
“Back then, I was always rocking the same ol’ boring stuff. But it’s been nice to get comfortable in some two-pieces, or stuff I rarely would have pulled off, say six to seven years back.”
‘The General,’ Off Duty
When Jonathan Haggerty steps in front of a camera lens rather than an opponent, something shifts.
Not everything. After all, the presence and composure that have taken him to three World Championship reigns in ONE is still there. But the fighter, for a moment, steps aside.
He said:
“That switches off sometimes. I go in and out of Jonathan the fighter and Jonathan the person. When I’m doing a shoot, yeah, I tend to switch off from the fighter.”
Most elite athletes carry their competitive identity everywhere. Haggerty is learning to leave it at the door when the situation calls for it. The lens, he says, is not so different from the ring in one important respect.
He said:
“I don’t find it any more intimidating than fighting someone when the camera’s on you. Both are the same, really. Fighting on television or doing a shoot. You just take it in your stride and enjoy it.”
The two worlds Haggerty inhabits are not always easy to reconcile. Each demands its own energy, focus, and version of the Londoner. But on the question of brands, both versions are equally clear.
In fighting, the relationships he builds are solid. In fashion, the answer has been sitting in his wardrobe since long before the ONE World Titles arrived.
Some preferences never change:
“In fighting, I’m pretty happy where I am with Primo. I’ve got a good relationship there, and they produce amazing stuff. In fashion, I’d probably say Prada. It’s been my go-to designer label since growing up. It’s a favorite.
“Both versions of Jonathan Haggerty can wear anything. As long as the brand and I are on the same wavelength, we’re all good.”