A Rivalry Is Born: How Jackie Buntan And Stella Hemetsberger’s Epic Battle Started It All
The fiercest rivalries in combat sports are forged in the fire of unforgettable battles. That’s exactly what happened when ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Jackie Buntan and ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Stella “Always Hungry” Hemetsberger went to war.
Their five-round collision at ONE Fight Night 35 last September produced one of the greatest women’s striking bouts in ONE Championship history.
Now, these two elite strikers will run it back in the main event of ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II on Prime Video, which goes down live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, February 13.
This time, the Filipino-American queen will defend her 26 pounds of kickboxing gold and look to get some revenge. Meanwhile, the Austrian sensation will hunt for two-sport supremacy.
Before the sequel unfolds, here’s how this explosive rivalry took shape.
Parallel Paths To An Inevitable Collision
Buntan and Hemetsberger traveled vastly different roads, but fate ultimately steered them toward a date with destiny.
From the moment she arrived on the global stage, Buntan was marked as a star-in-the-making.
The Filipino-American trained alongside one of the greatest female strikers of all time, former two-sport ONE World Champion Janet “JT” Todd, and the Boxing Works product crushed every expectation that pedigree carried.
Buntan mirrored her mentor’s technical mastery, but she added a different dimension. The California native’s insane power and pinpoint accuracy made her one of the most dangerous women in the striking arts.
Despite falling short in her first attempt at the ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title in April 2022, Buntan worked her way back into the mix and earned a shot at the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE 169 in November 2024.
The 28-year-old delivered the performance of her career, outclassing French-Algerian icon Anissa “C18” Meksen across five rounds to realize her World Title dreams.
While Buntan was surging to superstardom, Hemetsberger was quietly building her own legacy through a different route.
The Austrian arrived as a hidden gem in October 2024, grinding her way through the ultimate proving grounds of the weekly ONE Friday Fights series.
At the time, the RS-GYM and Phuket Fight Club representative lived in the shadow of her more established teammate, reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues. But “Always Hungry” was determined to carve out her own path.
Hemetsberger rattled off three straight victories, showcasing the relentless pressure and devastating power that would become her trademarks.
Her first-round body kick knockout of Vanessa Romanowski at ONE Friday Fights 104 in April 2025 proved to be the breakout moment she needed, as it earned the Salzburg native a life-changing six-figure contract and spot on ONE Championship’s global roster.
That opened the door to her biggest opportunity yet – a meeting with the surging Buntan for the vacant ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title.
The Upset That Crowned Austria’s First World Champion
Buntan entered ONE Fight Night 35 as the favorite to claim the vacant ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title.
The Filipino-American sought redemption after her first failed bid for Muay Thai gold three years earlier. This time, she was determined to join Stamp Fairtex and the aforementioned Todd as the only female two-sport ONE World Champions in history.
Meanwhile, the odds were stacked against Hemetsberger. It was her U.S. primetime debut, her first main event, and she was facing one of the most dangerous strikers in the division.
Buntan drew first blood, exploding Hemetsberger’s nose with a sharp right hand in the opening round. But seeing red only awakened the sleeping giant. The Austrian responded with pinpoint right punches, dropping Buntan twice to seize control of the fight.
The Boxing Works product survived, but she was visibly dazed. Drawing from the experience of previous battles, Buntan displayed championship poise and roared back with her trademark left hook in the ensuing rounds, busting up Hemetsberger’s face and leaving her eyes nearly swollen shut.
But “Always Hungry” created separation in the fourth stanza, picking off her American rival from range with long jabs and kicks. Then came the final round, an absolute war of attrition where both warriors emptied their gas tanks and left it all in the ring.
When the verdict was announced, Hemetsberger’s early knockdowns and relentless pressure proved to be the difference-maker.
The Salzburg native claimed a hard-fought unanimous decision to capture the ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title. By doing so, she also became Austria’s first ONE World Champion.
It was a heart-driven epic that left both warriors’ careers permanently intertwined.
A Rematch Born From Unfinished Business
A sequel was inevitable the moment the final bell sounded at ONE Fight Night 35. Buntan and Hemetsberger’s five-round showdown was too close and too thrilling to stand alone.
The Austrian’s stunning upset caused a seismic change in the strawweight landscape, transforming Buntan from hunter to hunted.
This time, the stakes are even higher. The California native puts her ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Title on the line, fighting not just for revenge but to protect the crown she worked so hard to earn.
For Hemetsberger, that night in Bangkok validated years of sacrifice. The global fan base finally witnessed her skill and heart on the biggest stage of all.
Now, the Austrian refuses to let this second golden opportunity slip through her fingers. Another victory over Buntan would silence any doubters and make her the third woman to become a two-sport ONE World Champion.
On Friday, February 13, these two rivals collide once again. If their first meeting was any indication, fireworks are all but guaranteed.
