Russian challenger Natalia Diachkova learned from Allycia Hellen Rodrigues' mistakes against Smilla Sundell
Natalia Diachkova took notes of Allycia Hellen Rodrigues' bid to unseat Smilla Sundell at ONE Fight Night 14 last year. Needless to say, 'Karelian Lynx' won't be making the same mistakes that the Brazilian committed, when she challenges 'The Hurricane' for her women's strawweight Muay Thai crown.
This high-stakes bout will take place on May 3 in the curtain closer of ONE Fight Night 22 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
In an interview with ONE, Diachkova said she was impressed by the atomweight Muay Thai world champion's valiant effort to go up a weight class against the towering Sundell. However, the Russian believes Rodrigues bit off more than she could chew, and ultimately paid the price against the Swedish prodigy.
Diachkova said:
"Allycia, in my opinion, is a beauty in terms of Thai boxing. I like her but tactically she made mistakes in the fight and is not a strong finisher."
Rodrigues, who's known for her aggressive forward rush, came out firing early and often against Sundell. The mom-champ even clipped the 19-year-old star several times in round one.
However, Rodrigues emptied the gas tank too soon. She eventually succumbed in the third round via TKO after receiving a brutal wave of strikes from the Fairtex Training Center star.
Rewatch Smilla Sundell vs. Allycia Hellen Rodrigues' thrilling fight:
Meanwhile, Natalia Diachkova knows she has the size to match up with Sundell's physical gifts, along with the frightening finishing power to give the remarkable teen a run for her money.
Natalia Diachkova takes a shot at Smilla Sundell's supposed immaturity
While fans and pundits alike rave about Sundell's youth and endless potential, Natalia Diachkova remains unimpressed. In the same interview, 'Karelian Lynx' claimed 'The Hurricane's age is actually a disadvantage since she's not mature enough to handle the demands of the world stage. She said:
"Her age doesn't practically matter! I won the national adult championship when I was 16 years old. But mentally, she is still a child."
ONE Fight Night 22 will air live on U.S. primetime free of charge for those with a Prime Video subscription in North America.