Photo via ONE Championship PR
Jackie Buntan : “No other girl is in the same ranking in terms of my record”
Two of the most skilled female strikers in ONE Super Series with meet in the co-main event of ONE 156 on Friday. Filipina-American star Jackie Buntan meets Swedish sensation Smilla ‘The Hurricane’ Sundell.
One of these women will make history and become the inaugural ONE women’s strawweight Muay Thai world champion.
While speaking with ONE Championship officials earlier in the week, Buntan was asked to elaborate a comment she had previously made.
ONE official – “You said previously that with just one win in the promotion, you didn’t think Smilla deserved the title shot outright. Can you elaborate on that?”
Jackie Buntan: Yeah, I [inaudible] exactly say that. I think I was saying our division, the strawweight division is fairly new. And you know, I came in last year, three fights, three wins. No other girl is in the same ranking in terms of my record. So I did say that it was kind of up in the air who would be able to be a challenge for the title shot. I knew I would just because like I said, I’d be coming in 3-0 but, you know, there are other girls who haven’t fought since 2020. Who hasn’t fought for a period. So it was really just up in the air. Like, it could have been anyone challenging for this title.”
So do you feel like in some vein, that Smilla is just another live body in there, just another opponent for you, just another stumbling block on your way to the world title?
Jackie Buntan: “I think so. I think every opponent in front of me is just you know, besides myself is just the only barrier to achieving what I want, achieving greatness.”
Also on the main card, #1-ranked Bokang Masunyane returns to face #2-ranked Jarred Brooks in a ONE Strawweight World Title eliminator.
The main card airs live on 22 April at 8:30 p.m. SGT/8:30 a.m. ET. Check your local listings for the global broadcast in over 150 countries. The full event will also be available on Watch.ONEFC.com, the ONE Super App, and ONE Championship on YouTube (some regions excluded).
The lead card, which broadcasts live at 4:30 p.m. SGT/4:30 a.m. ET, features the ONE Muay Thai debut of Anissa Meksen against Marie Ruumet, the ONE submission grappling debut of Mikey Musumeci versus Masakazu Imanari, and many more action-packed matchups.
ONE: Regian Eersel vs. Arian SadikovicFriday, 22 April 2022
MAIN CARD
ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Championship(C) Regian Eersel vs. Arian SadikovicLightweight: 155 LBS – 170 LBS
ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World ChampionshipSmilla Sundell vs. Jackie BuntanStrawweight: 115 LBS – 125 LBS
Mixed Martial Arts(1) Bokang Masunyane vs. (2) Jarred BrooksStrawweight: 115 LBS – 125 LBS
Muay ThaiLiam Harrison vs. Muangthai PK.SaenchaiBantamweight: 135 LBS – 145 LBS
Mixed Martial ArtsMarcus “Buchecha” Almeida vs. Oumar “Reug Reug” KaneHeavyweight: 225 LBS – 265 LBS
Mixed Martial ArtsNamiki Kawahara vs. Danial WilliamsStrawweight: 115 LBS – 125 LBS
LEAD CARD
Mixed Martial Arts(3) Yosuke Saruta vs. Gustavo BalartStrawweight: 115 LBS – 125 LBS
KickboxingAndre Stoica vs Giannis StoforidisLight Heavyweight: 205 LBS – 225 LBS
Muay ThaiAnissa Meksen vs. Marie RuumetAtomweight: 105 LBS – 115 LBS
Mixed Martial ArtsWindson Ramos vs Woo Sung HoonFlyweight: 125 LBS – 135 LBS
Mixed Martial ArtsChen Rui vs Song Min JongBantamweight: 135 LBS – 145 LBS
Mixed Martial ArtsAyaka Miura vs Dayane SouzaStrawweight: 115 LBS – 125 LBS
Mixed Martial ArtsAbraao Amorim vs Dae Sung ParkLightweight: 155 LBS – 170 LBS
Mixed Martial ArtsAgilan Thani vs Jin Tae HoWelterweight: 170 LBS – 185 LBS
Submission GrapplingMasakazu Imanari vs Mikey MusumeciCatchweight: 143 LBS
Mixed Martial ArtsKeanu Subba vs. James YangFeatherweight: 145 LBS – 155 LBS
