"It means a whole lot of things to me" - Jackie Buntan on "amazing" chance to fight for strawweight kickboxing gold at ONE 169
Jackie Buntan is one victory away from claiming the prestigious gold that every martial artist dreams of hoisting.
The Boxing Works affiliate squares off with Anissa Meksen for a chance to gain recognition as the inaugural ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world champion. Their world title scrap goes down at ONE 169 inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Nov. 8.
Speaking to ABS-CBN News, Jackie Buntan explained what winning a world title means to her and why she has left no stone unturned throughout her fight camp. She said:
"Being able to have another chance to compete for a world title in a different sport, it's just an amazing opportunity that I do not take for granted at all. It means a whole lot of things to me."
Of course, this would not be the first time the Filipino-American striker has come close to securing world championship status.
At ONE 156 in April 2022, the 27-year-old earned a shot to face Smilla Sundell for the inaugural gold in the division's Muay Thai rank after registering three consecutive victories under the promotional banner.
Unfortunately, things didn't go her way that evening as the Swedish star fired on all cylinders to claim the 26 pounds of gold via unanimous decision inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Jackie Buntan dissects her world title fight vs. Anissa Meksen
Having racked up another three-fight winning streak — including a destructive opening-round finish of Diandra Martin — the California native hopes to reap a different outcome. Though, she knows it'll be a tough day in the office.
In an interview with ONE Championship, Jackie Buntan shared:
"I think I’m going to come out victorious, even if it’s a five-round war. I have a feeling this is going to be that type of fight. I know I’m going to have to bring the dog out inside of me and bring it to her."
ONE 169 will be available for free live in U.S. primetime for active Amazon Prime Video subscribers on Friday, Nov. 8.