‘I Wanted To Control The Whole Game’ – Chihiro Sawada Details ONE Fight Night 39 Win, Eyes World Title Shot
Chihiro Sawada delivered the most complete performance of her career this past weekend.
The 28-year-old Japanese wrestling expert handed previously undefeated American standout Natalie Salcedo her first professional loss at ONE Fight Night 39 on Prime Video, controlling the action with relentless striking and superior grappling to claim a unanimous decision victory in their atomweight MMA contest.
Sawada immediately set the tone inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, January 23, dominating the opening frame with sharp left punches that consistently backed the 33-year-old Colorado Springs native into the corner.
Salcedo – a BJJ black belt with Muay Thai competition experience – weathered another early storm in the second round, as the former Shooto Champion continued her surprising stand-up assault. The left punch remained the Japanese wrestler’s primary weapon in the final stanza, leaving no doubt about the match’s outcome.
With the win, Sawada elevated her career record to 11-1, maintained her position among the division’s elite, and moved significantly closer to a crack at Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga‘s ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title.
Speaking to onefc.com after her decisive victory, Sawada reflected on the adjustments that led to her success:
“In this fight, I believe I showed a performance that reflects my level of striking, which used to be my weakness.”
Sawada’s decision to showcase her improved striking rather than rely solely on her wrestling expertise was a calculated gamble that paid massive dividends.
Going into the battle, the Japanese grappler recognized that playing into Salcedo’s ground game would be a tactical mistake. Instead, she forced the American to compete in an area where the Japanese veteran felt she held the advantage.
The Tokyo native said:
“Since my background is in wrestling, I’m very good there. Normally, I would go for the takedown and the scramble, but if I took Natalie down, that would play into the area where she’s very strong on the ground. So, this time, I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to control the whole game myself, and make her come to me in my striking game.”
The brilliance of Sawada’s approach became evident as the atomweight MMA showdown progressed. By refusing to engage in prolonged grappling exchanges, she neutralized Salcedo’s most dangerous weapons.
Shattering the American’s undefeated record represents another milestone in Sawada’s journey. However, the humble competitor refuses to attach extra significance to ending someone’s flawless run.
Sawada offered:
“I don’t have any special emotional feelings about breaking the winning streak because I’ve also had a winning streak before. I believe that as a fighter, you just do what you’re supposed to do. If you win, that’s good, and I want to use this victory as motivation to keep improving myself.”
Sawada Ready To Face Miura For Interim Gold At ONE 175
Chihiro Sawada’s impressive victory over Natalie Salcedo has positioned her perfectly for the biggest opportunity of her career.
The 28-year-old Japanese star now has her sights firmly set on ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion Denice Zamboanga, who withdrew from a scheduled title defense against Ayaka “Zombie” Miura at ONE 173 last November due to medical reasons.
With the timeline for Zamboanga’s return uncertain, Sawada floated the idea of facing her Japanese compatriot for an interim belt.
The Tokyo native said:
“Yes, I believe that right now I’m in a position for the title shot. First, I feel sympathy and hope Denice [Zamboanga] recovers as fast as possible. As for an [interim] title shot, of course I want to do it against Ayaka Miura.”
In Sawada’s perfect world, she would meet Miura at ONE 175, which emanates from Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, April 29.
The wrestling sensation believes that particular battle would capture the imagination of Japanese fans, as two of the country’s best atomweight mixed martial artists meet in the nation’s capital.
Sawada said:
“I think if it’s at the Tokyo event, where Japanese fighters face Japanese fighters, it would attract a lot of attention from Japanese fans.”
