American sensation Jackie Buntan kicked off the blockbuster ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III on Prime Video card in highlight-reel fashion this past Friday, May 5, as she knocked out Australian rising star Diandra Martin in the first round.
Now several days removed from that sterling performance, the 25-year-old strawweight Muay Thai contender can reflect on that victory with pride. But also, she has an eye toward the future with big goals in mind.
For the millions of fans watching around the globe and the thousands in attendance at the sold-out 1stBank Center in Colorado, it was obvious that Buntan was in peak form and firing on all cylinders against Martin.
The Californian confirmed as much, explaining that she was in a rare state of complete concentration that night.
She said:
“Athletes go through that feeling in the competition where they’re in the zone, in the flow, where everything’s just autopilot. It’s almost like you’re not even thinking. And I definitely experienced that from the start of the round, which was very cool because that was only my second time experiencing that.”
That “flow” state produced impressive results. Late in the opening stanza, Buntan fired a left hook to the body and then followed it up with a thunderous right to the head that melted her foe to the canvas, bringing the raucous American crowd to its feet.
According to the Boxing Works representative, she was running on autopilot when the knockout happened.
Buntan said:
“It wasn’t until [the referee] did the count, and she fell, and I was in the neutral corner. That’s kind of when I felt like I went back into the present moment.”
The knockout was Buntan’s first through five electrifying wins inside the Circle.
She said it came as a result of years upon years of intense training, drilling the same combination thousands of times, with all that practice finally culminating in a spectacular moment at ONE Championship’s historic U.S. debut event.
Buntan added:
“I know my hands and power, and everything they are capable of. It was just a matter of time and repetition of perfect placement in terms of punching and getting the power back up. All the years of hard work and repetition all in one little quick second. It was just the best feeling ever.”
Jackie Buntan Lays Out Dream Scenario For Dual World Titles
Now on a two-fight winning streak, Jackie Buntan’s only loss in ONE came at the hands of reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Smilla Sundell.
The American believes her victory at ONE Fight Night 10 should earn her another crack at the teen star’s belt, but if she had her way, she’d be challenging for something else first.
Buntan said:
“I want to be a two-sport World Champion in Muay Thai and kickboxing. Obviously, I did the Muay Thai fight last year. It didn’t go my way. That’s still on the horizon. But right now, I truly believe I’m the number one contender for both.”
The ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Title has yet to be created, but if and when it eventually gets inaugurated, Buntan wants to become the first athlete to wear that crown.
What’s more, she’s not afraid to make some noise to help move the process along.
She said:
“In terms of kickboxing and why do I want to do it first, and why do I want to do it now? It’s because I’m greedy. And no one has it yet. And I want to be the first one to have it, versus taking my time and being quiet about it.”
And if that were to happen, then the 25-year-old would want to parlay that into an epic champion-versus-champion rematch with Sundell.
By doing so, Buntan would have her chance to achieve two-sport glory and exact some revenge against the teenage sensation.
The California native said:
“[If I’d] win that inaugural belt, and if Smilla is ready, then kickboxing champ versus Muay Thai champ. I think that’d be a really cool show.”
