"Experience comes with age" - Natalia Diachkova says teenage phenom Smilla Sundell is still green behind the ears

Rising Muay Thai star 'Karelian Lynx' Natalia Diachkova of Russia took a long hard look at unbeaten 19-year-old sensation 'The Hurricane' Smilla Sundell and says she was hardly impressed.

Diachkova is set to lock horns with the towering Swedish fighter in the main event of ONE Fight Night 22: Sundell vs. Diachkova on Prime Video, which broadcasts live from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The ONE women's strawweight Muay Thai world title will be up for grabs.

Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, the 29-year-old Diachkova says her teenage foe is just far too young and inexperienced to beat her.

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'Karelian Lynx' said:

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"At Smilla's age, lack of experience is the norm. Experience comes with age. Yes, sometimes we are experienced beyond our age. But the fact is that everything has its time! There's nothing bad or good about it. It is as it should be!"

Diachkova believes Sundell's time at the top is nearly over, and that it's the 'Karelian Lynx' era in ONE's strawweight Muay Thai division.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action unfold live and absolutely free on Friday, May 3, U.S. primetime, via Amazon Prime Video.

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Natalia Diachkova looks to prove Smilla Sundell is nothing but hype: "I want to see what everyone is talking about"

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Much has been said about the 5-foot-8-inch tall phenom 'The Hurricane' Smilla Sundell, but rising Russian star 'Karelian Lynx' Natalia Diachkova isn't buying into the hype.

The 29-year-old veteran believes it's her job to derail the hype train and take the ONE gold for herself. She told ONE Championship:

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"I don't dwell on this at all. I am not scared. I am excited and happy. All I want is to get into the ring with her to see what is so interesting about her, what everyone is talking about."

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