ONE Championship: ‘Autistic’ Muay Thai champ Smilla Sundell’s biggest obstacle might be outgrowing weight division
- Swedish 19-year-old – who headlines Fight Night 22 – is getting better every day from a technical perspective, but she is also growing in size
- That is the only cloud on the horizon for Sundell, as ONE Championship does not currently have any female flyweights
It is unusual for a fighter to capture a world title at a young age, but Smilla Sundell is clearly not your typical teenager, and the 19-year-old feels she is a little bit different in many respects.
“I do a lot of personality tests, I think I’m a bit autistic,” the Swede, who at 17 became the youngest person to ever win a world title in Muay Thai by defeating Jackie Buntan to win the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight Championship, said.
And while she looks to be at the peak of her powers and is getting better every day from a technical perspective, she is also growing in physical stature – and that is the only cloud on her horizon.
ONE Championship does not have any female flyweights on the roster but Sundell admits it is a matter of when, not if, she outgrows the strawweight division in which she fights.
“I am turning 20 this year. I signed the (ONE Championship) contract when I was 16 and I have grown some muscle and I’m even taller,” she said.
After signing quickly captured the strawweight Muay Thai title, which she will be defending for the second time on Saturday.