5 Women’s Martial Arts Stars Who Post Must-Watch Training Videos
The women of ONE Championship are constantly hard at work preparing for their next assignments inside the Circle, and they often share their progress online with their followers.
This gives ONE’s global fan base a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to become an elite fighter in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Having said that, let’s look at five women whose Instagram pages are filled with next-level training tips and more.
Lara Fernandez
Some athletes share only the highlights of their training sessions, but ONE newcomer Lara Fernandez is an exception, because many of her Instagram videos show her getting critical feedback from her coaches.
This will surely benefit Fernandez as she prepares to meet ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion Janet “JT” Todd for the ONE Interim Atomweight Muay Thai World Title in the co-main event of ONE 159: De Ridder vs. Bigdash on July 22.
Followers will notice that the Spanish woman has ramped up her training, focusing mostly on her footwork and striking combinations.
In fact, the WBC Muay Thai World Champion has been practicing everywhere she could to disrupt the Circle veteran and secure gold in her ONE debut — whether her sessions take place in the ring, on the grass, or in an empty conference room.
Nat Jaroonsak
Nat “Wondergirl” Jaroonsak may have made a name for herself on Instagram as a Muay Thai Champion, but since transitioning to MMA, she’s been sharing more of her grappling training clips with her supporters.
Her most recent fight against Zeba “Fighting Queen” Bano in May at ONE 157: Petchmorakot vs. Vienot lasted less than a minute and a half. The young Thai phenom swooped into the clinch and dragged her Indian opponent to the canvas. Wondergirl then locked an armbar on Bano, forcing the first-round tap.
Wondergirl documented her training leading up to the fight, sharing videos on Instagram of how she was blending her Muay Thai skills with her growing ground game.
Moreover, Wondergirl’s followers will also notice on occasion some famous faces in the background of her videos, including that of her younger sister, Anna “Supergirl” Jaroonsak.
Jackie Buntan
Jackie Buntan documents all aspects of her training in a way that few fighters do. Not only does she post videos of herself hitting pads with her coach, Bryan Popejoy, but she also posts clips of her strength and conditioning routine, as well as her bag work sessions.
The intense training has paid off for the Filipina-American athlete, as she’s accumulated a 3-1 record in ONE. Buntan has taken home wins against challenging fighters such as Wondergirl and Ekaterina “Barbie” Vandaryeva.
Most recently, the 24-year-old had a formidable five-round battle with divisional queen Smilla “The Hurricane” Sundell for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title in April at ONE 156: Eersel vs. Sadikovic.
Every round that Buntan spends training makes her a more dangerous fighter, and fortunately her fans can follow her journey on Instagram.
Danielle Kelly
Despite being a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Danielle Kelly recognizes that her journey in martial arts is only beginning, especially after signing a deal with ONE Championship.
Kelly put her martial arts skills to the test earlier this year when she faced Japanese MMA veteran Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi at ONE X in a submission grappling contest. Despite the fight ending in a draw, ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong awarded Kelly a US$50,000 performance bonus for her relentless pursuit of a finish.
Her Instagram videos provide a glimpse into the demanding martial art of submission grappling. She often details the various combinations that she uses to submit or bring someone down to the mats.
Recently, Kelly expressed her desire to compete in mixed martial arts, and when or if the time comes, expect her to break the news on her Instagram page.
Allycia Hellen Rodrigues
ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues may have taken a break from the Circle to focus on her pregnancy, but she kept training — albeit carefully — all the way through while documenting it on her Instagram account.
In her ONE debut, Rodrigues dethroned none other than Stamp Fairtex at ONE: A NEW BREED in August 2020. The Brazilian star stayed strong inside the clinch and landed powerful boxing combinations on the outside to secure the unanimous decision victory.
Now that she’s delivered a healthy baby boy, Rodrigues is back to training at full speed. Unquestionably, she’ll be paying close attention to the battle between Todd and Fernandez at ONE 159, as she’ll most likely unify belts with the winner of that fight.
That said, Rodrigues doesn’t just post training videos on Instagram. She also documents her life as a ONE World Champion living in Phuket, Thailand.
