“I was a bit worried” - Smilla Sundell recalls a rough first round against Jackie Buntan at ONE 156

Smilla Sundell made her ONE Championship debut at ONE: Full Circle in February 2022. At just 17 years old, Sundell earned her first victory in the ONE circle by defeating Diandra Martin. Just two months later, Sundell stepped back into the limelight and faced Jackie Buntan for the inaugural ONE women's strawweight Muay Thai World Championship.

'The Hurricane' scored a unanimous decision victory to become the division's new world champion. Not only did she become world champion, she also etched her name into the history books by becoming the youngest world champion in the promotion's history.

While it certainly sounds like a storybook ending, Sundell claims to have been a bit worried following the first round of action. In an interview with Tom Taylor of South China Morning Post, Sundell talked about giving up the first round and how she turned it around with the support of her corner.

"I thought it was good. I think I was a bit slow, though, in the first two rounds. In the third round I felt better. I was a bit worried after the first round, because I knew I lost that one. So I was a bit scared. But then my corner was like, ‘You’ve got this. You gotta go forward now. No time to waste.'"

Smilla Sundell was noticeably more comfortable as the fight progressed, outpointing Buntan in an exciting contest between two elite strikers.

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Smilla Sundell has 'big respect' for Jackie Buntan

Following their 15-minute war at ONE 156, Smilla Sundell and Jackie Buntan were very respectful of one another. During her interview with SCMP, 'The Hurricane' was very complimentary of her opponent.

"She was very tough. She was quick. I know she’s a strong opponent, so I was okay with my performance. I have big respect for her. She’s very fast and has good footwork."

Following the defeat, Jackie Buntan took to Instagram to show respect for her opponent and let the world know that she will use the experience to grow and come back even better.

"I believe I’m still one of the best in the world. There is no other fighter like me, and there is no quit in me. What is growth without defeat? I'm grateful for the lessons learned in this fight. It’s only lit a bigger fire in my heart to level up in every capacity."

Neither fighter has discussed a return to the ONE circle since their April showdown, but a rematch is certainly not out of the question.

Check out the video of Sundell and Buntan's clash below: