Jackie Buntan jumped at the chance to fight icon Anissa Meksen which led to world title win: “I didn't even hesitate”

Newly crowned ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world champion Jackie Buntan of the United States and the Philippines says there was no hestiation in her mind when she saw the offer to fight French-Algerian kickboxing legend 'C18' Anissa Meksen.

Buntan battled Meksen to a five-round unanimous decision win at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video last November, capturing the inaugural ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world title in the process.

The Boxing Works representative says everything worked out just the way she had imagined.

In a recent interview with Val de War of DeWar Report, Buntan detailed what was going through her mind when she got the contract to fight Meksen for the coveted belt.

The 27-year-old Filipina-American star said:

"I mean, I can't even put it into words. It means everything, you know. When we first got this contract way, way earlier in the year, I didn't even hesitate about the opponent. I was like, okay, I asked for a kickboxing fight, and they threw me in for, one, the belt, but also two, against a legend in the game, pound for pound, the best kickboxer in the world."

Now, Buntan is considered the best strawweight female kickboxer on the planet after having defeated such a huge legend in Meksen.

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Jackie Buntan gives props to coach Brian Popejoy for making her a world champion: "He's so open to new ideas"

While Jackie Buntan credits her hard work and dedication to her craft as the main drivers for her success in the world's largest martial arts organization, she will not deny the massive influence coach Brian Popejoy has had in her career.

The 27-year-old says that Popejoy's methods have turned her into a world champion.

The Filipina-American told The Casuals:

"I think we have a traditional Thai style, but it's mixed in with a lot of different looks and influences from kickboxing, from boxing, whatever Brian comes up with. Really, I think the foundation is there of Muay Thai, but the nice thing is, he's so open to new ideas and new practices where it's not like some coach, like, ‘that's not Muay Thai. We're not gonna do it.’"