Allycia Hellen Rodrigues will have her chance to become a two-division queen at ONE Fight Night 14. The ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion moves up to strawweight to challenge Smilla Sundell. It is a chance at history the Brazilian could not let slip by.
Since joining ONE Championship, Rodrigues has done nothing but knock off the best of the best. In her debut, she claimed the title by defeating Stamp Fairtex by majority decision. She returned three years later after giving birth to unify the titles with interim queen Janet Todd. Now, she’s ready to be more active and attempt to take out the dazzling Swedish teen star.
“I’m moving up in the division because I couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by. I want to make history. I want to be a champion of two divisions. I am very happy with this opportunity. I think Sundell is a good fighter, a very young girl who has also been conquering her space in the scene. I have a lot of respect for her, but I’ll be very prepared to take her belt home,” Rodrigues told ONE.
Sundell took the Muay Thai world by storm with her title-winning performance over Jackie Buntan. Then, just 17-years-old, Sundell punished the American. Coming off her latest performance against Milana Bjelogrlic, most see this as an uphill battle for the Brazilian. And that is what is fueling Rodrigues ahead of September 29.
“Having two belts is one of my dreams, and I intend to make it happen. I want to make history, I want to challenge myself more and more, and I know I can do it. But my biggest motivation is seeing that a lot of people are not believing in me, and I’m going to show them all that nothing is impossible when you work hard. I grabbed this opportunity with all my might, and I’m going to show it in the fight,” Rodrigues expressed.
The 25-year-old has already taken a closer look at her opponent’s film ahead of their title tilt. Rodrigues notes the strengths the Swedish star brings to the table but is not deterred by the physical presence of Sundell. She is prepared to take some shots in order to return fire in this matchup.
“She likes to be aggressive and put pressure on her opponents, always moving forward. However, I also like to play this forward game. She also knows how to use her height advantage to box and use her knees, and I know this is what causes her opponents a lot of trouble. She plays her game really well. I like her fighting style, but I don’t worry about her size. I’m excited for this fight, and I know it’s going to be a war because of our styles,” the atomweight queen said.
Rodrigues is a tactical fighter and knows she must contend with Sundell’s length. However, she believes their aggressive styles will blend well together to give her plenty of opportunities for success. Because of the continued pressure both women like to employ, the Brazilian expects an exciting contest in Singapore.
“I believe that I am smarter and more accurate and that I am also more complete in Muay Thai. But, due to Sundell’s height, I know it will be difficult to knock her out. So knocking her out won’t be easy, but it won’t be impossible, either. I’m definitely going into the fight with the intention of knocking her out. I’m really looking forward to the fight, and I believe it will be one of the best fights of the event,” Rodrigues concluded.
ONE Fight Night 14 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, September 29. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.
