This Friday, in the co-headlining attraction of the ONE Championship 156 event in Singapore, Jackie Buntan will battle Smilla Sundell for the Asian martial arts promotion’s inaugural strawweight Muay Thai title. It is the biggest fight of her career to date, but if she is feeling the pressure, she is doing a good job of hiding it. “I’m feeling really good,” the Filipino-American star told ONE Championship ahead of the event. “I’m in a great head space. I feel calm, relaxed. I’m ready to go.” It would be easy to attribute Buntan’s coolness to the experience advantage she will have in her fight with Sundell. At 23 years old, she is six years the senior of her 17-year-old foe. She has also fought and won three times in ONE, defeating Wondergirl Fairtex, Ekaterina Vandaryeva, and Daniela Lopez by decision, whereas Sundell has won just once in the promotion, with a knockout of Diandra Martin. Yet Buntan speaks as though placing too much emphasis on her experience advantage downplays her other strengths. “[I have more] experience yes, but I’m confident in my skill set,” she said. “I’m confident in my fight IQ and I think that’s going to be the main difference.” Buntan will most likely need all of her skills and smarts to get by Sundell. Despite her youth, the Swede has already developed a reputation for her aggressive approach to Muay Thai. “Smilla has a good style,” Buntan acknowledged. “She has the classic Thai style, the Fairtex style.” “The only thing that stands out is her forward pressure. She’s an aggressive fighter.” Buntan revealed little about her game plan for the fight, but expressed her belief that Sundell’s trademark aggression will actually end up being “a disadvantage” on the night. ONE Championship reveals flyweight Muay Thai grand prix One way or the other, the American is confident that she will return to US soil with a ONE Championship world title belt crammed into her luggage. “Whatever she comes in with, I’ll be ready,” she said. “I 100 per cent believe I can win this fight and get the inaugural title.”