At ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug, Filipino-American sensation Jackie Buntan and decorated French-Algerian veteran Anissa “C18” Meksen will go toe-to-toe for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Title.
Set to go down live in U.S. primetime on November 8 from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, the high-stakes clash pits two of the planet’s most talented strikers against each other and, understandably, has fans buzzing with excitement.
The 27-year-old Buntan has long been regarded as the future of American striking, while Meksen is a seven-time Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion who is still in search of 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold to put a cap on her epic career.
Stylistically, the matchup has all the makings of a barnburner, with each woman possessing all-around skills, shocking power, and endless gas tanks.
Before they throw down in Bangkok, we look at each athlete’s keys to victory in this World Title contest.
Buntan’s Steady Forward Pressure
A heavy-handed power puncher, Buntan tends to do the most damage when she can trap her opponent against the ropes where she can unleash vicious boxing combinations.
Against the agile and fleet-footed Meksen, she’d be wise to focus on steady, relentless pressure that limits the veteran’s movement. To do this, Buntan has to work behind a pumping jab, leg kicks, and a healthy dose of feints.
What’s more, this constant forward pressure will exploit one of Meksen’s few weaknesses. In the French-Algerian’s hard-fought World Title decision loss against Phetjeeja last December, “C18” struggled to deal with the Thai’s fearless aggression – a game plan that Buntan will surely try to replicate.
Meksen’s Crafty Footwork
At 36 years old, Meksen remains one of the speediest strikers in the world. Rarely standing stationary at any moment of the fight, she is a master at cutting angles and employing elite footwork to avoid her opponent’s aggression.
While Buntan possesses great footwork in her own right, “C18” is simply a step ahead. Look for her to try to frustrate Buntan in the early rounds with plenty of evasive movement, then use her blinding speed in the later parts to dart in and out of the pocket while firing off a variety of combinations.
In short, if Meksen wants to finally add the coveted gold belt to her trophy case, she’ll need to do what she’s done throughout her career and lean heavily on her world-class footwork.
Buntan’s Concussive Right Hand
On paper, Buntan looks to be the more powerful striker, and she is the most dangerous with her show-stopping right hand.
The Boxing Works representative has spent the past several years competing at strawweight, while Meksen will be moving up from atomweight for this bout. With that in mind, Buntan likely carries more one-punch power and is undoubtedly hungry to test her opponent’s chin at strawweight.
The Filipino-American used her massive right hand to score an unforgettable knockout of Diandra Martin last May at ONE Fight Night 10, and fans can expect to see her set up that same punch against Meksen.
Meksen’s Incredible Work Rate
“C18” will aim to counter Buntan’s power with her high-paced, high-volume style. Meksen loves to string together long and dynamic combinations that attack her opponent’s head, body, and legs, and she’s sure to follow that same approach at ONE 169.
With her seemingly unmatched gas tank, Meksen is an expert at exhausting her opponents as the fight drags on, blitzing them from all angles to force them on the defensive.
Against Buntan, this high-output style should pay dividends. Not only will it overwhelm the Californian by drowning her in strikes, but it will also prevent Buntan from landing her own combinations.
