Strawweight Muay Thai queen Smilla Sundell open to more super fights and mixed-rules bouts

ONE strawweight Muay Thai world champion Smilla Sundell will defend her throne at ONE Fight Night 22 on May 3. Across the ring from her inside the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium will be former IFMA world champion Natalia Diachkova.

Although it's undeniable that 'The Hurricane' is taking Diachkova seriously and is never going to look past her, she does have some exciting things on the horizon.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post on YouTube, Smilla Sundell shed some light on her plans outside her weight class, perhaps even outside her sport:

I would like a higher weight class. But I'm up for like super fights and mixed-rules fights.

Sundell has tussled with fighters outside her weight class in the past, though not in a higher one.

At ONE Fight Night 14 in September 2023, the 19-year-old Swede defeated ONE atomweight Muay Thai world champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues, who moved up in weight with the hopes of becoming a two-division world champ.

At the moment, there's no women's flyweight Muay Thai division in ONE Championship, but perhaps they can put one together for Sundell to fight for its world title.

Watch the full interview here:

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Smilla Sundell understands the dangers Natalia Diachkova poses

At ONE Fight Night 21 over a week ago, the bout between Sundell and Diachkova was announced and the world champion and the challenger were invited inside the ring to share some thoughts on the fight.

When asked by ONE Championship commentator Mitch Chilson what she thinks of her upcoming foe, Smilla Sundell said:

“She [Diachkova] is very strong. She’s got very good boxing, and she comes out of nowhere with her back twists and back kicks.”

''Karelian Lynx', as Diachkova's fans call her, debuted in ONE Championship last year by knocking out one of Smilla Sundell's teammates, Dokmaipa Fairtex. Perhaps this is going to be another layer of motivation for the world champ to get the win at ONE Fight Night 22.

ONE Fight Night 22 will air live in US primetime, free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in North America.