5 Explosive Reasons To Watch ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan Vs. Hemetsberger II On February 13
The world’s largest martial arts organization continues its 2026 U.S. primetime calendar with ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II on Prime Video.
Broadcasting live from the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, February 13, the card plays host to two massive ONE World Title battles with another seven explosive fights across Muay Thai, MMA, kickboxing, and submission grappling.
With championship implications on the line and fan favorites returning to action, this spectacle promises non-stop fireworks from start to finish.
That said, here are five explosive reasons you must watch ONE Fight Night 40 this Friday.
#1 Buntan And Hemetsberger Renew Their Rivalry
A rivalry forged through five rounds of relentless action reaches its next chapter in the very venue where it all started.
When Jackie Buntan and Stella “Always Hungry” Hemetsberger first collided at ONE Fight Night 35 inside the mecca of Muay Thai last September, the Austrian delivered a career-defining performance to capture the ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship.
She survived Buntan’s piston-like right hand, dropped her twice in the opening round, and showed grit and determination throughout the championship rounds en route to extending her pristine promotional slate to 4-0 and becoming Austria’s first-ever titleholder in the promotion.
Now, the tables have turned. Though “Always Hungry” may have the blueprint to overcome the fighting pride of Boxing Works, this ONE Fight Night 40 main event rematch takes place under kickboxing rules, where Buntan enters as the defending queen.
This marks the Filipina-American’s first defense of her ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship after she dominated kickboxing icon Anissa “C18” Meksen to claim the inaugural gold in November 2024. World Title glory aside, this presents an opportunity to exact revenge.
Buntan’s dizzying combinations and pace will once again be up against Hemetsberger’s calculated aggression. If their first clash is anything to go by, this sequel promises nothing less – and with ONE World Title gold and two-sport supremacy hanging in the balance, expect both women to leave everything inside the ring.
#2 Shadow And Carrillo Meet For Interim Gold
Knockout power collides when Shadow Singha Mawynn faces Nico “King of the North” Carrillo for the ONE Interim Featherweight Muay Thai World Title in the ONE Fight Night 40 co-main event.
This moment represents the culmination of a remarkable journey for the Thai slugger, who has gone undefeated in seven successive fights in the featherweight Muay Thai division since his promotional debut loss in the weight bracket.
That unbeaten run includes dominant performances and three highlight-reel wins over elite opposition, establishing the 25-year-old as one of the division’s most exciting talents. Most recently, the Bangkok native earned a US$50,000 performance bonus for his destructive second-round TKO of Bampara Kouyate.
Now, he stands on the precipice of fulfilling his goal – capturing ONE Championship gold on the global stage and proving poverty is no barrier for anyone with big dreams. But across from him stands “King of the North,” who is out to erase his ONE World Title heartbreak to Algerian-Thai megastar Nabil Anane during their battle for the interim bantamweight crown last January.
Rather than let that setback define him, Carrillo moved up to featherweight, where his trademark knockout power has been on full display. The Deachkalek Muay Thai Academy standout authored back-to-back finishes against multi-time Kickboxing World Champion Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Luke Lessei to extend his perfect 100 percent finishing rate in the organization.
When two knockout artists of this caliber meet with interim gold on the line, fans should prepare for fireworks. One dream will be realized. One redemption story will be written. And the featherweight division will have a new interim king.
#3 Two BJJ World Champions Run It Back
Unfinished business from 2021 will finally get settled when Fabricio “Hokage” Andrey and Joao Pedro Bueno Mendes renew their rivalry in featherweight submission grappling action at ONE Fight Night 40.
For Andrey, this rematch represents an opportunity to make an emphatic statement. The 25-year-old Brazilian has been flawless since joining ONE Championship, securing victories over Eduardo Granzotto and Ashley Williams.
Both wins were impressive, but the Melqui Galvao product is eager to register his first highlight-reel triumph under the bright lights of ONE. However, he will be forced to work extra hard against an equally dangerous BJJ black belt from Brazil.
Mendes arrives hungry for revenge – and with the credentials to back up his confidence. Their first encounter came at the quarterfinal stage of the 2021 Pan American Championships, where Andrey forced the debuting star to tap via choke.
That defeat left a mark on Mendes, fueling years of evolution and refinement. The Brazilian has transformed into a more complete grappler since that loss, adding layers to his game. The proof came at the 2025 IBJJF World Championships, where Mendes captured his first black belt World Title.
Now, on submission grappling’s biggest platform, Mendes gets his chance to even their rivalry. “Hokage” already knows what he needs to overcome his fellow Brazilian, though, and he hopes his world-class skills on the canvas will help him move to a pristine 3-0 in ONE.
#4 Undefeated Stars Seek Redemption
Four fighters return to the ring determined to bounce back from their first career defeats – but only three can find redemption on February 13.
The most intriguing story plays out in lightweight MMA, where two former undefeated stars collide. Adrian Lee and Shozo Isojima both suffered their first professional losses to the same man – ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo – in MMA competition late last year. Unfortunately for them, only one can walk away with a bounce-back triumph.
Elsewhere, Canadian knockout artist Ben “Vanilla Thunder” Tynan finds himself in a similar position. Tynan looks to redeem himself in heavyweight MMA action against Japanese slugger Ryugo Takeuchi, who also boasts a 100 percent finishing rate.
Finally, Dagestan’s Magomed Akaev gets his chance at redemption after a hard-fought promotional debut. The 29-year-old battled for three grueling rounds against fellow Russian Ibragim Dauev, only to fall short via split decision in a contest that could have gone either way.
Standing in his path to victory is Lucas Gabriel, who arrives undefeated across four appearances on the global stage. The Brazilian has proven difficult to solve, and Akaev will need to be at his absolute best to return to the winner’s column.
For these warriors, ONE Fight Night 40 represents more than just another bout. It’s an opportunity to prove that their first defeats were temporary setbacks, not permanent roadblocks on their paths to greatness.
#5 “The King” Is Back
One of the world’s largest martial arts organization’s most beloved fighters, Danny “The King” Kingad, resumes business on this electric pre-Valentine’s Day showcase.
The Lions Nation MMA representative faces Chinese standout“Wolf Warrior” Hu Yong in a pivotal flyweight MMA clash that carries significant ONE World Title implications.
They were originally scheduled to cross paths at ONE Fight Night 15 in October 2023. When the Filipino withdrew due to a foot injury, Hu faced Eko Roni Saputra instead and delivered an emphatic 63-second TKO victory.
This fight represents far more than settling postponed business for “The King,” however. The 30-year-old has long been a fixture in World Title conversations. His well-rounded game, featuring dangerous submissions and world-class striking, has made him a perennial contender in one of the sport’s most talent-rich divisions.
Both Kingad and Hu return in search of a morale-boosting victory. The talented flyweights each ride into this bout on a two-match skid. A dominant win for either fighter could potentially position them for a shot at reigning ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu.
The Filipino faithful will be watching closely as their hero attempts to reignite his championship dreams inside the ring. That said, “Wolf Warrior” won’t miss the opportunity to capitalize on his opponent’s vulnerability as he hunts for the eighth highlight-reel finish of his career.
