“It doesn’t matter who I fight” - Smilla Sundell’s radar not locked on a specific target for next fight in ONE Championship
Former ONE strawweight Muay Thai world champion Smilla Sundell is looking forward to her next challenge regardless of who she's pitted against. 'The Hurricane' defeated previously-streaking Russian Natalia Diachkova by TKO in the second round of their catchweight (126.5 pounds) Muay Thai clash at ONE Fight Night 22 on May 3 in Bangkok, Thailand.
It was initially penciled as a title defense until she was stripped of the belt in the lead-up after missing weight, going over the stipulated 125-lb limit. While sad and disappointed over the development, Smilla Sundell plunged into action against Diachkova despite knowing that a win would mean little.
The 19-year-old Swedish sensation had her struggles against the boxing of the 'Karelian Lynx' and absorbed damage early on. She eventually found her rhythm and began to connect with telling shots of her own.
Late in the second round, Sundell landed a solid left to the body that left her opponent vulnerable, going for the finish after with a barrage of punches and knees before the referee called a stop to the match at the 2:59 mark of the frame.
Asked during the post-event press conference what is next for her, she said the journey continues for her and will be ready for whoever ONE puts against her in the ring. The Fairtex Training Center standout said:
"It doesn't matter who I fight. I just love fighting. So yeah, anyone who steps into the ring with me."
A replay of ONE Fight Night 22 is available for North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Smilla Sundell excited to headline a ONE Championship event
Heading into ONE Fight Night 22, Smilla Sundell was excited to headline a ONE Championship event. While the circumstances for it changed come fight night, the outcome still ended up the same, with her hand raised in victory.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post ahead of her latest fight, she shared her thoughts on being featured in a main event under ONE, saying:
"That's very cool [to feature in a main event fight]. I'm very excited for that."
The win over Diachkova at ONE Fight Night 22 was the fifth straight for Smilla Sundell since she made her promotional debut in February 2022.