‘I Know How To Beat Her’ – Jackie Buntan Ready For World Title Rematch With Stella Hemetsberger
Jackie Buntan is heading back into the ring against an opponent she knows all too well.
On Friday, February 13, the reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion will defend her title against the division’s reigning Muay Thai queen, Stella “Always Hungry” Hemetsberger, in the main event of ONE Fight Night 40 on Prime Video.
The show goes down live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium, and Buntan understands just how important this rematch is with her European rival.
The battle is a direct sequel to their five-round war at ONE Fight Night 35 last September, where Hemetsberger edged the Filipino-American by unanimous decision to claim the vacant ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title.
It was a bruising, momentum-shifting contest that left little doubt a rematch was inevitable.
This time, the stakes are different. The rule set is kickboxing, the belt belongs to Buntan, and the responsibility is hers to defend it.
The California native said:
“Coming into the fight as the reigning Kickboxing World Champion, it’s one thing to win a World Championship, but it means a lot more to be able to defend it and stay on top.
“And every time I step into the ring, collecting belts doesn’t matter to me. It’s being great and striving for that and having a better performance each time.”
That mindset was forged in her history-making World Title win a year and a half ago.
At ONE 169 in November 2024, Buntan outclassed legendary striker Anissa “C18” Meksen across five rounds to capture the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship, delivering consistent damage and control from start to finish.
But despite holding kickboxing gold, Buntan knows her rivalry with Hemetsberger has just begun. Their first meeting demanded grit, composure, and battling through adversity – and it forced her to confront where execution fell short.
The Filipino-American said:
“That night was a big night for me – obviously, trying to chase double gold, two-sport World Champ status. It didn’t go my way. I lost the fight by a point. I think I had the better exchanges, but on the scorecards, mathematically, she was the one who was able to pick it up.
“All I took from that was lessons and growth. I know I have grit. I know I have a chin. I learned a lot of things about myself.”
But lessons alone won’t win a rematch at the highest level.
Buntan walked away from ONE Fight Night 35 with clarity about what mattered most in a five-round war. While she believed she landed the heavier shots, the California native also recognized how momentum shifted and how certain moments allowed Hemetsberger to regain control late.
That understanding reshaped how the 28-year-old has approached this second meeting:
“That specific loss, especially how it happened – getting knocked down twice in the first round but staying in it and picking it up in rounds two through five – I think that’s the definition of me as a fighter, as an athlete. There’s no quit in me. There’s no quit in my heart. I’m in it until that bell rings.
“If I were to do something different from that fight, I would be more patient. I think it showed in my aggressiveness and forward pressure that it was clearly getting through and giving her a problem. But there were many times I was impatient and just trying to score big shots.”
Buntan Sees A Clearer Plan Under Kickboxing Rules
The World Title rematch at ONE Fight Night 40 is not simply a rerun under a different rule set. For Jackie Buntan, kickboxing fundamentally changes the rhythm, spacing, and decision-making inside the ring.
The California native enters this bout with a sharper understanding of what worked, what didn’t, and where Stella Hemetsberger’s game presents both danger and opportunity.
The Boxing Works product said:
“Stella’s strengths are definitely her kicks. I knew she was going to come in with a lot of kicks, and I definitely felt that. I think when we last fought, that was the deciding factor in terms of how she was able to win.
“I think she has holes. I see the holes she leaves open as she strikes, both punching and kicking. I think I’m better with movement. I’m able to cut her off, whether that’s going backwards, left, right, circling, or going forward. If she wants to stand in front of me, I think it’s a dangerous game.”
Buntan is no stranger to setbacks. After winning her first three bouts in ONE Championship, she earned her first World Title opportunity.
Though she came up short, she rebounded with four straight victories, including a historic triumph to capture the strawweight division’s inaugural kickboxing gold.
Now competing under kickboxing rules, the pace is faster – and the margin for error is even thinner. That reality informs how Buntan sees this rematch unfolding:
“I do see myself breaking her down from round one, having her question her ability, her game plan, her strategy, and just controlling it from there. I know how to beat her.
“I wasn’t able to execute it quite well the last time. It’s not based off emotions. It’s just knowing I’m better than that, and it’s time to show it. Winning this fight means everything for my legacy.”
