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Jackie Buntan was happy to see reigning ONE atomweight Muay Thai world champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues step up and take her spot at ONE Fight Night 14.
In September, Buntan was scheduled to return to the Circle for a highly anticipated rematch with current strawweight Muay Thai world titleholder Smilla Sundell. Unfortunately, Buntan was forced to withdraw due to personal reasons, leaving Sundell without an opponent. Stepping up to the plate was Rodrigues, who took advantage of the opportunity to become a two-division champ.
In the end, Sundell retained her title with a methodical third-round KO of Rodrigues.
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Speaking with Sportskeeda MMA, Jackie Buntan was appreciative of Rodrigues not only taking the fight but delivering an entertaining scrap for fans inside Singapore Indoor Stadium and those watching around the world.
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“I was very excited about it. To be honest, I couldn’t really think of many women who would be able to fill in my spot, and that’s not to toot my own horn but you know, my record speaks for itself. Allycia, it made sense for her to move up in weight. She’s a great athlete, a great fighter, they put on a great show. It was an exciting card and fight, for sure.”
Will we see Jackie Buntan vs. Smilla Sundell 2 in 2024?
Having missed out on the opportunity to step inside the Circle with the Swedish teen phenom last year, Jackie Buntan is likely chomping at the bit to once again throw hands with the Swedish teen phenom and hand her the first loss of her ONE Championship career.
When and where they run it back is yet to be determined, but once they have a date set, fans will be tuning in to see two of the best female strikers in the world go toe-to-toe for 26 pounds of ONE gold.
If you missed any of the action or want to relive an epic night in ONE Championship history, the ONE Fight Night 14 replay can be watched anytime on demand via Amazon Prime Video in North America.
