When Jackie Buntan strolls into the 1stBank Center in Colorado for ONE Fight Night 10, she will be fighting for more than a win. The ONE Championship star will be part of the historic event in a Muay Thai battle against Diandra Martin in the opening match on Prime Video. Buntan wants to carry the banner for U.S. Muay Thai and continue the sport’s growth domestically.
“A hundred percent [there is pressure]. It’s not like the pressure where it’s keeping me up at night and I can’t eat. But yeah, it’s in the back of my head. Of course, I want to perform not only for myself, but I’m the only U.S. athlete representing Muay Thai on this show, here on home soil,” said Buntan.
Putting the weight of the sport on her shoulders, Buntan plans to be aggressive in the three-round battle. While she is also seeking another crack at the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship, the Boxing Works athlete wants more eyes on the sport. As the opening match on the stacked card, she will have the biggest platform to make Muay Thai shine.
“I feel like I have to go hard. I have to put on a performance to make the fans and people who don’t know about Muay Thai excited to watch me again, watch Muay Thai again, and tune in to ONE Championship again. All of that is a win for everyone,” said Buntan.
The 25-year-old knows the difference between Muay Thai in the U.S. and Asia. But with ONE elevating the sport, she has been a part of its comeuppance in recent years. Buntan is over the moon with ONE including standout Muay Thai action on a global platform, making it a centerpiece of its U.S. debut.
In the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 10, Rodtang Jitmuangnon puts his ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title on the line against Edgar Tabares. It is an outstanding showcase for the sport on one of the biggest martial arts cards of the year. Buntan expects the American audiences to eat it up when the leather begins to fly.
“Of course, there’s Muay Thai in the states, local shows. When I was an amateur, I competed in empty gyms or little local casinos with crowds of 50 or 100 people. But the only big fights you can see here in the States are all MMA fights. So for fans within the Muay Thai community, this is a big win for us. But fans outside of the community, they really don’t know what they’re in for,” said Buntan.
The Boxing Works star credits ONE’s global Muay Thai rule set for making it more palatable to worldwide audiences. An emphasis is placed on being aggressive, and the athletes wear four-ounce gloves, leaving minimal room for error. It has made Muay Thai one of the most exciting combat sports without debate. And that could make ONE Fight Night 10 a platform for the sport to explode in the United States.
“I think being able to put on a solid performance, and an exciting one at that, lets fight fans know this is really the new era of Muay Thai. The rule set, the gloves, the cage, three rounds only — it just puts you in a situation where you’ve got to go, making it exciting on both ends,” said Buntan.
ONE Fight Night 10 airs live from the 1stBank Center on Friday, May 5. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Prime Video. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.
