Smilla Sundell to Put World Title on the Line at ONE Fight Night 22 Against Natalia Diachkova

Published 04/05/2024, 3:25 PM EDT

ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Smilla “The Hurricane” Sundell will put her gold on the line when she returns to action next month.

On U.S. primetime on Friday, May 3, the teen phenom will meet surging striker Natalia “Karelian Lynx” Diachkova in the main event of ONE Fight Night 22 on Prime Video inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. And the champion will come prepared.

Smilla Sundell is one to look out for

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Sundell has proven time and again that her youth is not a hindrance to her greatness. At just 19, the Swede already has two World Title victories to her name, and she etched her name in the record books.

She became the youngest World Champion in ONE Championship history when she won the inaugural women’s strawweight Muay Thai belt at ONE 156 in April 2022. In her latest outing at ONE Fight Night 14 last September, she proved herself once again.

The rising star then bested undisputed strawweight Muay Thai queen Allycia Hellen Rodrigues with a stunning third-round TKO victory to cement her place on top of the division. Her imposing frame, relentless pace, knockout power, and high fight IQ make her a difficult matchup for just about anyone.

But Diachkova will be out to prove she isn’t just anyone when she meets Sundell. “Karelian Lynx” exploded onto the ONE scene last April, when she scored a knockout victory against Dokmaipa Fairtex at ONE Friday Fights 13. She then claimed two more first-round knockouts in her next three fights, with the other bout ending in a dominant unanimous decision victory for her.

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The Russian is an apt challenge

The Russian striker’s stoppage win against Chellina Cherino at ONE Friday Fights 55 last month earned her a highly-coveted six-figure contract with ONE, and her impressive run has given her a legitimate claim to challenge the best in the strawweight Muay Thai division.

“She Looked More Powerful” – Smilla Sundell Prepared for War Ahead of ONE Fight Night 14 Clash Against Allycia Hellen Rodrigues

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Considering both women’s all-action and aggressive styles, fans can expect an explosive fight from bell to bell on May 3. One that could lead to a brutal knock out and would likely be a showcase of some of the best striking out there. And what’s better? There is even more to come as the rest of the card finds more fights. Watch out for more announcements as the card fills up in the coming weeks.

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Written by:

Prit Chauhan is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. His portfolio shows him as the go-to event coverage writer at ES and his work on UFC 297 is proof of the same. As an experienced writer and a longtime MMA fan, Prit’s strong suit lies in telling the relatively unknown and more personal stories of fights and fighters.

Edited by:

Smrutisnat Jena

Smilla Sundell to Put World Title on the Line at ONE Fight Night 22 Against Natalia Diachkova

Smilla Sundell is one to look out for

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The Russian is an apt challenge