ONE Championship
A challenger who believes she has already proven her case is done waiting for the judges to agree.
Natalia Diachkova gets a second crack at Stella Hemetsberger‘s ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title in the main event of ONE Fight Night 46. The event broadcasts live in US primetime this Friday, August 14, from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. The Russian’s four consecutive wins to open her ONE Championship run earned a six-figure main roster contract. She’s had two more victories since her first title setback and rebuilt her case from scratch.
Diachkova points directly to Hemetsberger’s title-winning resume as evidence the champion has yet to be truly tested. She argued that the Austrian’s back-to-back wins over Jackie Buntan said more about her opponent than about her own game.
“I consulted with the best trainers of Russia and Thailand, and all of them said it’s not Stella who won, it’s Jackie who lost,” she said.
Natalia Diachkova ready for any outcome Friday
Diachkova says she has not built this camp around forcing a specific finish. She choose instead to stay ready for anything across all five rounds if the fight requires it. That patience runs alongside genuine confidence that the finish will present itself once the opportunity is there.
“I’m not thinking about a knockout, though I’m ready for it in my psychological condition. I’m ready to knock her out in round one, two, three, four or five. I would definitely like to take her second belt as well,” she said.
Should Diachkova make good on that promise, the win would immediately end Hemetsberger’s perfect 5-0 promotional record. It would also strip her of one of the two titles that made her a two-sport World Champion in the first place.
Diachkova’s own promotional record now stands at 6-1 with four finishes, a mark she has rebuilt since her first World Title opportunity fell short. She sees Friday as the fight that finally closes the gap between her resume and the recognition she believes it has already earned.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
