ONE: Filipina-American Jackie Buntan promises ‘a big surprise’ for Smilla Sundell in Muay Thai title fight
- Buntan battles Sweden’s Sundell for inaugural strawweight Muay Thai championship at ONE: Reloaded on April 22 in Singapore
- ‘She hasn’t fought anyone with my style, my power, my speed,’ 23-year-old says. ‘ I visualise it so damn much.’
After a perfect, 3-0 start to her ONE Championship career, Filipina-American strawweight Jackie Buntan will soon have the opportunity to make history within the Asian martial arts promotion.
On April 22, in the co-headlining attraction of the ONE: Reloaded event in Singapore, she will take on Sweden’s Smilla Sundell, with the winner being crowned the promotion’s inaugural strawweight Muay Thai champion.
It is the kind of opportunity the 23-year-old has been dreaming of since the early days of her career.
“I was so stoked [when I got the news],” she told the Post from California last week. “Not just obtaining the physical belt, but just knowing that I could get to this level and compete at this level. I was just ecstatic knowing that the promotion and [ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong] had belief in me to be a challenger for it.”
In Sweden’s Sundell, Buntan will meet a 17-year-old wunderkind who has long been touted as a future champion.
But despite all the hype associated with her opponent, Buntan is confident she has skills to get the job done.
“She is a young fighter, she’s very tenacious, she has solid technique,” Buntan said of her opponent. “I’m just confident she hasn’t dealt or fought anyone with my style, my power, my speed. I really do believe she’s gonna be in for a big surprise when we meet in the Circle.”