Hemetsberger Repeats History, Edges Buntan In Five-Round War For Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Title
ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Stella Hemetsberger achieved two-sport glory in U.S. primetime on Friday, February 13.
The Austrian cemented her status as one of the best female strikers on the planet when she dethroned Jackie Buntan via split decision in their rematch to capture the ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Title in the main event of ONE Fight Night 40.
In doing so, she entered the ONE Championship record books as the third two-sport queen in history, following in the footsteps of Stamp Fairtex and Janet Todd.
The opening frame saw both strikers feeling each other out, with the 28-year-old Filipino-American holding edges in speed and power while the 27-year-old Austrian countered with trickier shot selection.
Buntan accelerated the pace in round two, as she landed crisp jab-straight right and cross-left hook combinations capped with low kicks. Hemetsberger answered with her own explosive combos, which pressed the defending kickboxing queen against the ropes.
The California native showcased superior footwork in the third, stepping off to the side and countering the Austrian’s punches. However, Hemetsberger’s unorthodox boxing attacks continued to rattle Buntan.
The fourth frame proved pivotal, as Hemetsberger found her mark with the right body kick. The more she landed, the more aggressive she became, and it was clear the blows disrupted the Filipino-American’s rhythm.
In the final stanza, Buntan unleashed fierce boxing combinations while Hemetsberger met her in the middle with punches and kicks. A defining push kick sent the California native crashing to the canvas, but she rose immediately and the two exchanged shots one last time before the final bell sounded.
With the split-decision win, Hemetsberger bumped her record up to 10-1, sweeping the series 2-0 against Buntan and making history as the first Austrian to claim two-sport gold in ONE Championship.
