Jackie Buntan wants to defend her strawweight kickboxing gold on American soil in 2025: "That's the goal"
After producing the biggest win of her career to date, Jackie Buntan has an item that she is keen to tick off the bucket list.
The Muay Thai specialist has already had the opportunity to accomplish some incredible firsts during her time in ONE Championship. At ONE 169, she became the inaugural ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world champion by defeating Anissa Meksen in a closely contested affair.
Last year at ONE Fight Night 10, she earned a decisive victory in Muay Thai as part of ONE's debut event in the United States. Now, she hopes to combine the two things to bring her belt back to the United States so that she can defend her crown in front of her home fans and supporters.
This would be a monumental moment for Jackie Buntan and in a recent interview with Combat Sports Today, she spoke about setting her sights on it:
"I would love that. That's the goal. On top of having a busy year, it's to hopefully get shows in the U.S., I don't see why not. So that's the goal, have ONE come to the U.S. next year and be able to fight on their shows."
Watch the full interview below:
Jackie Buntan is breaking new ground in her career
Jackie Buntan is well poised to factor into ONE Championship's US plans going forward even if competition for sports on these cards is always difficult.
Her title win over Meksen at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, has taken her career and stock to new heights.
Buntan was always a highly regarded competitor in Muay Thai but defeating a celebrated veteran like Meksen in her kickboxing debut is by far the biggest thing she has accomplished to date.
But with ONE Championship planning another blockbuster return to the United States next year, which it has now done in back-to-back years, Buntan will be ready and waiting to compete on home soil and remind everyone why she's the best in her class.