SUMMARY
- Smilla Sundell defeated Natalia Diachkova at ONE Fight Night 22.
- ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong was impressed with Sundell’s gritty performance.
Despite remaining unbeaten in ONE Championship, former ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Smilla Sundell had a bittersweet night in the main event of ONE Fight Night 22 last Friday, May 3. But she still has a place in the heart of ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
“The Hurricane” missed weight in the lead-up to her clash with Natalia Diachkova, forcing her to be stripped of the crown. Even with all the question marks surrounding her, Sundell overcame the odds to stop Diachkova, boosting Sityodtong’s admiration for the youthful phenom.
“I think she was born to be a world champion. I can’t imagine being 17-years-old on the largest stage for martial arts in the world. She’s 19 now, still maintaining the same weight. She missed weight in front of the whole world and got beat up in the first round,” Sityodtong told Sportskeeda.
“To come back after the first round and a half and win by vicious KO, to me, that’s the mark of a champion. To do all that at only 19 is unbelievable to me.”
Given that Sundell is still growing, Sityodtong believes she won’t be hanging around at strawweight forever. That led him to hint that ONE Championship could install a new weight category in the near future.
Chatri Sityodtong announces Prajanchai vs. Di Bella II in June
A date has been secured for ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Prajanchai PK Saenchai and former strawweight kickboxing king Jonathan Di Bella to finally collide, Chatri Sityodtong confirmed.
The two strikers will now meet in the main event of ONE Friday Fights 68 on June 28. This comes after their last scheduled fight at ONE Friday Fights 58 was canceled when Di Bella fell ill, couldn’t pass hydration, and was stripped of his title.
Sityodtong initially had plans to book the bout for this past week’s ONE Fight Night 22. But there were plenty of moving parts. Nonetheless, he says the card is already shaping up to be a monumental night of fights.
View this post on Instagram
“Once a quarter we have a big ‘tentpole’ version of ONE Friday Fights. The next big card will take place on June 28th. It’s a sick banger of a card,” Sityodtong said.
“That stadium is going to be loud. Prajanchai and Jonathan Di Bella will be on that card.”
The rest of ONE Friday Fights 68 has yet to be announced.