Filipino-American fighter Jackie Buntan won the inaugural ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world title at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. 'Reug Reug' on Nov. 8 in Thailand. She did it by defeating veteran kickboxer Anissa Meksen by way of a hard-earned decision.
The 27-year-old Boxing Works standout added her name to the list of ONE champions by impressively holding her own against 'C18' in a spirited back-and-forth that went the full route of five rounds, notwithstanding that it was her kickboxing debut.
ONE Championship uploaded highlights of the competitive contest on its official YouTube channel for fight fans to relive and enjoy.
Check out the video below:
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
The title-clinching win at ONE 169 at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium was a fulfillment of a long-sought goal for Jackie Buntan, who had her shot at the inaugural women's strawweight Muay Thai world title in April 2022 but fell to Sweden's Smilla Sundell by decision. It was also her fourth straight win and seventh in eight matches since making her promotional debut in February 2021.
For her part, Meksen lost in her second straight title match, after the defeat she absorbed from Thai sensation Phetjeeja by decision for the interim atomweight kickboxing world title in December last year.
The full replay of ONE 169 is available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Jackie Buntan proud to have proven herself well against a legend like Anissa Meksen
Newly minted ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world champion Jackie Buntan relishes pitting her skills against the best in the game and is proud to have been able to do that against a legend of a fighter in Anissa Meksen in her last fight.
The California-based strijer got the better of the veteran Algerian-French fighter by decision at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Nov. 8 in Thailand to become one of the latest additions to the roster of ONE world champions.
Despite making her kickboxing debut at the event, Buntan was steady in her game, stood toe-to-toe against the more seasoned kickboxer Meksen, and hacked out the decision victory.
Jackie Buntan spoke about the signifcance of the Meksen victory during the post-event press conference, saying:
"Anissa is a legend in the game. I remember watching her when I was still in high school. So it was a very big fight, a very big opportunity, but that's the type of fight I wanted, especially for the belt. You've got to beat the best to be the best.
"I didn't take her lightly, I didn't underestimate her at all. But going in there, I felt so confident. I felt like I was the better fighter right before the [first] round even started, to be honest."
Now a world champion, Buntan is looking to defend her title next while also keeping an eye on the Muay Thai world title.