ONE Friday Fights 46 preview and predictions: Phetjeeja vs. Anissa Meksen

Phetjeeja (L) and Anissa Meksen (R) | Image credit: ONE Championship
Phetjeeja (L) and Anissa Meksen (R) | Image credit: ONE Championship

Two queens will enter the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok this Friday, December 22, but only one will leave with the interim atomweight kickboxing crown in tow.

ONE Friday Fights 46: Tawanchai vs. Superbon is stacked to the brim with some of the finest strikers on planet Earth. This event promises to close out 2023 with a bang, and it’s the lone female bout of the card that perhaps carries the most intrigue.

Anissa Meksen and Phetjeeja, who have both yet to taste defeat in ONE Championship, will be locking horns to see who will keep that unblemished record intact.

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One glance at both athletes’ decorated resumes shows why this is indeed one of the most highly anticipated all-striking wars perhaps in the history of women's kickboxing.

Will ‘C18’s signature speed, volume, and overall striking brilliance lead her to that much-coveted ONE Championship gold? Or will ‘The Queen’ rampage to another stunning finish and blitz her way to career immortality?

Check out our the Sportskeeda ONE Championship team’s expert take on the matter.


Vince Richards

Anissa Meksen is considered one of the greatest strikers, regardless of gender, of all time, while Phetjeeja has solidified herself as one of the most lethal of her generation.

This match just has storylines written all over it, and the ONE interim atomweight kickboxing world title is the fitting prize for their inter-generational matchup.

I see no visible weaknesses in the two fighters’ striking game, and it’s pretty difficult to discern who takes this match.

Meksen, through her years of experience, has developed an unrelenting yet methodical offensive style that is one of the hardest puzzles to solve in kickboxing. Phetjeeja, meanwhile, is an unrelenting machine that will stop at nothing until she sees her opponent crumpled on the canvas.

This match, however, is under kickboxing and almost no one is better in the sport than 'C18'.

I expect Phetjeeja and Meksen to operate at an ungodly pace and throw everything at each other for that golden belt. While Phetjeeja has the youth, Meksen’s vast amount of experience will push her through this inevitable slugfest.

There will be knockdowns in this potential Fight of the Night banger, but I feel this fight will reach the judges’ scorecards which will go in favor of 'C18'.

Prediction: Anissa Meksen by decision


James De Rozario

Phetjeeja will be in for the toughest assignment of her career and I doubt it'll be one that she'll remember for the right reasons.

'The Queen' has fared well throughout her tenure, but Meksen is a different breed of fighter. As such, it won't take long for the Thai to discover this when they're locked inside the ring.

The multi-time kickboxing queen will find a way right down the middle and blast the Muay Thai specialist with trademark volume. However, the Phuket Fight Club affiliate should start getting frustrated, given 'The Queen's' resolute defense.

Still, I don't expect her to limit her output if things work against her. I do expect her to stay mentally sharp as the match progresses on her way to a deserving win on the scorecards.

That being said, I'm sure Phetjeeja will use this fight as an important chapter of her journey before she mounts another challenge at ONE gold.

For now, I just don't see anyone beating someone as skilled and gifted as Meksen.

Prediction: Meksen by decision


Ted Razon

Anissa Meksen has been the uncrowned kickboxing queen for quite some time now, and I strongly believe we’ll see her long-overdue coronation this Friday.

Granted, her opponent is no push-over in the form of Thai juggernaut Phetjeeja, but this match will take place under kickboxing rules. Phetjeeja has left a wake of destruction so far under the ONE umbrella, but Meksen is a whole different beast altogether.

‘The Queen’ loves to swarm her unsuspecting targets and overwhelm them with a torrent of punishment at a whirlwind pace. Once she staggers her prey with a hard shot, she traps them near the ring ropes and delivers the killing blows.

Then again, ‘C18’ is too cerebral for that and she won’t fall into the same trap. In the event that one of Phetjeeja’s haymakers does land, Meksen’s impeccable footwork should steer her away from danger until she can regroup.

Meksen’s well-rounded skillset should also pose problems for Phetjeeja, who might not be able to mount her fiery offense since she’ll be busy defending the myriad of attacks coming at her from all directions.

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The French-Algerian’s godly speed will be another obstacle to clear for Phetjeeja. If this fight goes the distance, I don’t think the 21-year-old’s gas tank will hold up, especially since we’ve seen her finish fights early and often.

I’m banking on Meksen’s experience to get the job done. Phetjeeja is a durable fighter who can be tough to put away, but I foresee Meksen getting her hand raised with the unanimous decision nod.

Prediction: Anissa Meksen by decision


Check your local listings or visit ONE Championship's official website on how to watch ONE Friday Fights 46 from your location. Fans in the United States and Canada can catch ONE Friday Fights 46: Tawanchai vs. Superbon via pay-per-view on watch.onefc.com on December 22.

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Edited by Harvey Leonard
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