"I absorb everything like a sponge" - Natalia Diachkova says curiosity and passion makes her dangerous like her mentor

Natalia Diachkova is preparing to step into the biggest fight of her career when she competes in the main event of ONE Fight Night 22.

Despite the added pressure of this training camp in knowing what awaits her at the end, all of the hard work is already done by this point.

Her clash with ONE strawweight Muay Thai world champion Smilla Sundell isn't going to be defined by the last two months of her career but every day she has spent in the gym, getting better and staying dedicated.

Natalia Diachkova has the benefit of having a coach that has also experienced this same kind of pressure in her corner that she is able to learn from.

Training under Mehdi Zatout, who fans last saw in action at ONE 166: Qatar, where he put on a show, the challenger is in good hands.

In an interview with ONE Championship ahead of her fight, Natalia Diachkova spoke about how she has always looked to gain as much as she can from her mentor:

"I absorb everything like a sponge. I am curious and I borrow new techniques that suit me and my style. I try certain things from Mehdi's technique, try to apply it in sparring, and adapt."

Smilla Sundell will be a similar place to Natalia Diachkova

All of that being said about Natalia Diachkova and the road she has walked up to this point can be said for Smilla Sundell as well.

The champion has become a crucial member of the Fairtex Training Center where she has worked alongside the likes of Stamp for a long time.

On May 3, both women will put all that they have learned to the test in the main event of the evening for what is sure to be a great contest.

Both of them are excellent strikers that rarely take a backwards step so you can expect to see them meet in the middle when the fight calls for it.

ONE Fight Night 22 will air live and free in U.S. prime time from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on Prime Video.