Smilla Sundell says training with Rodtang proved crucial in world title win over Jackie Buntan: “It was a big help”

There was one person who greatly helped Smilla Sundell in her pursuit of ONE Championship gold, and it was someone outside of her camp.

During the lead-up to ONE 156, Sundell just happened to train with Rodtang Jitmuangnon when the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion paid a visit to Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand.

It was during that brief visit from the Thai megastar that Sundell took the chance to train with arguably the most ferocious striker on the planet.

In an interview with ONE Championship, said she learned valuable insight from Rodtang that she eventually used to beat Jackie Buntan to become the inaugural ONE women’s strawweight Muay Thai world champion.

Sundell said:

“When he was here, I was able to train with him for a bit before my fight with Jackie. It was a big help, actually. He taught me some good stuff that I used in the fight. And also sparring with him was very fun. Very hard though.”

Sundell ultimately used what Rodtang taught her and practically dismantled Buntan for the dominant unanimous decision win.

The Swedish phenom, though, won’t have Rodtang helping her in her first world title defense.

Nevertheless, Sundell will try to replicate or even exceed what she did to Buntan when she takes on Allycia Hellen Rodrigues at ONE Fight Night 14 on September 29 at Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Sundell will defend the ONE women’s strawweight Muay Thai world title against Rodrigues, the ONE atomweight Muay Thai world champion, in what should be another test for the teenage star.

ONE Fight Night 14 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.