At the first all-women One Fight Night, Fil-Am Jackie Buntan is ready to strike for a world title
Photo from Jackie Buntan/Instagram
Will a Filipina-American be the next Muay Thai World champion?
Fil-Am Muay Thai kickboxer Jackie Buntan is about to challenge world strawweight titleholder Smilla Sundell at the upcoming One Fight Night 14 on Sept. 30. What’s even more exciting is how she’ll be looking to clinch it at an all-women headliners lineup—a first under One Championship.
It will mark Los Angeles-based top contender Buntan’s first rematch with Sundell, the youngest-ever One World champion, for the 125-pound world title after facing off at the inaugural Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World in Singapore in April 2022.
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“I am the first generation American in my family. My parents and three older sisters left the Philippines for a better life here in America, so when I told them about my decision of not continuing college and pursuing this path, they were not happy or confident in my decision.”
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Buntan told Numéro Netherlands about her Muay Thai journey. “As I got older and more in love with Muay Thai, I had a huge gut feeling that this was the correct decision, so I went in 100 percent. It took my family a couple years to accept and believe in my choice to pursue fighting.” With the sport’s rising popularity, Buntan is also gaining attention.
Since her first match against Sundell, the 26-year-old Buntan dominated One Fight Night 10, One’s first time hosting in the United States, with a first round knockout against Australia’s Diandra Martin last May. Will Buntan be able to replicate this success?
ONE Fight Night 14 will be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium and will be streaming live on Amazon Prime Video.
