Smilla Sundell had an eventful week prior to ONE Fight Night 22. The ONE Championship star lost her ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship on the scale but still main-evented with Natalia Diachkova. After an early storm, Sundell rallied to win by TKO in the second round.
The Swedish talent noted her sadness in losing the title after the event. “The Hurricane” felt the impact of fans around the world coming together to support her. She credited those comments with helping to push her in the match.
Smilla Sundell on Tough Battle at ONE Fight Night 22: “It was one of my biggest challenges.”
“I can’t thank people enough. It was tough because I didn’t make the weight. But I’ve had very nice people reaching out to me. Angela Lee reached out to me – Allycia (Hellen Rodrigues), Milana (Bjelogrlic), and so many more. I have everyone on my side. I’m very thankful for that. And I’m thankful for everyone who came to cheer me on today at Lumpinee and all around the world watching. It means the world to me. I had family coming out from Sweden, Australia, and Vietnam. Yeah, I’m just so thankful,” Sundell told ONE.
In the first round, the Russian challenger had Sundell hurt. It looked like she may claim the title before it became vacant, and the stiff challenge impressed the talented 19-year-old. After feeling her power, Sundell credited Diachkova as one of her greatest opponents.
“It was one of my biggest challenges. She got me good in the first round. So yeah, she’s definitely at the top. My vision was very blurry in the first round. In the second round, I was a bit shaky too as well. I don’t know where I was hitting, to be honest. And I don’t know what I was doing in the fight. I just knew I went to the floor once. And that got me very angry. And I just had to go, go, go. I knew I couldn’t stop there because I had my family around me. And I wanted to show them that I’m still the best,” Sundell stated.
Wearing damage from the first round, Sundell was more composed in the second frame. Then, after a clubbing blow to the body, she saw Diachkova become a sitting duck for a match-ending onslaught. However, that ending was even a surprise to “The Hurricane.”
“I saw she got hurt to her body. If she would have gone to the ground, she would have got an eight-count, but she didn’t. She went into the ropes. And that made me confused. Because then the referee would have to stop the fight. But I knew I just had to keep going until he stopped it,” the Swedish striker recalled.
Now, with the event in her rearview, Sundell is focusing on reclaiming gold in ONE. While she would accept a chance to get the strawweight crown back, she also wants a new division. As she grows and develops, Sundell will only become stronger and a bigger force to reckon with inside the ring.
“I really want my belt back. I will get it back, I think. But I also want another weight division. It doesn’t matter who I fight. I just love fighting. So, I’ll face anyone who wants to step into the ring with me,” Sundell said.
