"It's just me wanting to win" - Strawweight Muay Thai queen Smilla Sundell on where her killer instinct comes from
At first glance, it seems that Smilla Sundell is your typical timid 19-year-old teenage girl.
But when the bell rings, the reigning ONE women's strawweight Muay Thai world champion is anything but shy.
As her nickname suggests, 'The Hurricane' fights with a feverish drive to destroy everybody in her wake.
On May 3, Sundell's killer instinct will once again be on full display, as she puts her 26 pounds of gold on the line against Natalia Diachkova in the curtain closer of ONE Fight Night 22 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
In an interview with Calf Kick Sports on YouTube, Sundell revealed how she manages to flip the switch, from a soft-spoken individual to a world-class destroyer in 'The Art of Eight Limbs'.
The Swedish sensation shared:
"I don't know, maybe I'm just an angry person inside? I don't know. But, if I don't go forward and punch [my opponent] then I'm losing my head. So I think it's just me wanting to win."
Watch Smilla Sundell's full interview:
Need a reminder of just how ferocious Sundell can be? At ONE Fight Night 14 last year, 'The Hurricane' took on the dangerous Allycia Hellen Rodrigues in a champ vs. champ showdown.
After getting rocked early on, the Fairtex Training Center stud turned the tides and knocked out the Brazilian mom-champ in round 3.
Smilla Sundell in full 'fight mode' ahead of title defense vs Natalia Diachkova
It's no secret that Smilla Sundell has been itching to return to the ONE ring. The wait was definitely worth it, as she drew a worthy adversary who'd trade fire with fire with her at ONE Fight Night 22.
Speaking in a ONE interview, 'The Hurricane' expressed how delighted she was to face the streaking ''Karelian Lynx', who won her first four matches in the promotion, including three first-round knockouts.
"I was like, 'Oh, finally!' But it was kind of hard getting [an opponent]. It was hard for me to also focus, but when I got the name, I switched on my fight mode."
Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada can witness ONE Fight Night 22 free, live on US Primetime on May 3.