Chihiro Sawada To Face Natalie Salcedo In Explosive Atomweight MMA Clash At ONE Fight Night 39
A compelling women’s atomweight MMA showdown awaits the global fan base, as Japanese star Chihiro Sawada is scheduled to lock horns with undefeated American sensation Natalie Salcedo at ONE Fight Night 39 on Prime Video.
The event, which kicks off ONE Championship’s 2026 U.S. primetime calendar, broadcasts live from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, January 23, 2026.
This MMA clash features two of the most dangerous competitors in the women’s atomweight division and could help the victor break into the World Title conversation.
Sawada, a former Shooto Champion, brings her explosive wrestling pedigree and winning momentum into this high-stakes matchup.
The 28-year-old Japanese standout has been in spectacular form since joining the world’s largest martial arts organization in February 2023, compiling an impressive 10-1 career record with five promotional victories.
In her first promotional appearance, she submitted Sanaz Fayazmanesh via Americana shoulder lock, immediately announcing her arrival in the women’s atomweight division.
Sawada followed up that breakthrough performance with unanimous decision victories over experienced mixed martial artists Jihin Radzuan and Noelle Grandjean, establishing an eight-bout winning streak before experiencing her first career loss.
But the Tokyo native didn’t let that setback hold her down for long. Instead, she bounced back with two consecutive victories, submitting Macarena Aragon this past July and demolishing Japanese compatriot Itsuki Hirata last month.
If Sawada can grab another win and hand Salcedo her first professional defeat, it could position her as a future challenger for Denice Zamboanga‘s ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship.
Salcedo, however, enters the contest as one of the division’s most intriguing new stars.
In fact, the 33-year-old, who trains out of Colorado, has yet to taste defeat in her MMA career. After going unbeaten in the amateur ranks, she carried that winning mentality into her professional career, where she has since compiled a spotless 4-0 slate.
The American sensation, who is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt armed with a Muay Thai background, impressed in her promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 35 on Prime Video this past September, as she forced Aragon to tap out in the first round.
That statement victory immediately established her as a legitimate threat in the talent-laden women’s atomweight division, and a triumph over Sawada would transform the American into a top contender.
Stay tuned to onefc.com for more news about ONE Fight Night 39 on Prime Video.
