Smilla Sundell admits she no longer gets "starstruck" around her idol Stamp: "Now she's a friend"

Before becoming one of the best female strikers in the world, Smilla Sundell was simply a youngster in a foreign country who looked up to Stamp Fairtex.

Now, the reigning ONE women's strawweight Muay Thai queen gets to train with her idol on a daily basis at Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand.

Speaking to ONE in an exclusive interview, Sundell talked about the three-sport world champion's immense popularity with the masses. The 19-year-old also shared how honored she is to consider Stamp as a close confidant now.

"Yeah of course I do. Especially people outside my gym. I mean, I know Stamp as a person now, so I don't get starstruck the same way I did when I first got to the gym because now she's a friend. But every other person, yes [they are enamored by Stamp]."

It's no secret that Stamp is arguably one of the most revered female fighters in combat sports. There's certainly plenty to love about the affable Thai star, who turns into a complete beast once the bell rings.

Smilla Sundell, for one, appears to be cut from the same cloth as the atomweight MMA world champion. The Swedish prodigy's sweet demeanor outside of fighting is the complete opposite of the ruthless aggression she shows in her matches.

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Smilla Sundell says Stamp remains humble despite massive success

Another big reason why Smilla Sundell admires Stamp is because of her humility.

In the same interview, 'The Hurricane' said her teammate never lets the fame get into her head:

"She's always been a happy girl and trains hard every day. She's basically the same, funny girl. Still hungry [to get wins]."

Stamp will look to continue her winning streak at ONE 167 on June 7, where she'll look to defend her 26 pounds of gold for the first time against Denice Zamboanga at Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

Sundell, on the other hand, also seeks to keep her own crown against Natalia Diachkova this coming Friday, May 3, in the main event of ONE Fight Night 22 at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium.

Both events will air live in US primetime free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in North America