Stella Hemetsberger, the Austrian fighter who became one of the promotion’s few dual-discipline world champions, will make her first defence of the ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title in the main event of ONE Fight Night 46 at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday 14 August.
Champion maintains same approach despite rapid rise
Hemetsberger, 27, rose quickly through ONE Championship’s ranks and now carries the rare distinction of holding belts in two striking codes. She captured the Muay Thai crown at ONE Fight Night 35 by beating Jackie Buntan to claim the vacant title and, five months later, added the ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship after defeating the same opponent in a second five-round encounter.
That sequence of victories placed Hemetsberger alongside Stamp Fairtex and Janet “JT” Todd as only the third female athletes in the promotion’s history to win world titles in two different disciplines. Despite the accolade, the Austrian has been clear that the belts have not altered her routine or outlook.
“Honestly, I don’t think this victory changed [the outlook of my career]. Like, I’m still the same person. I’m still working hard to reach my goals,” Hemetsberger told onefc.com.
She remains based at Phuket Fight Club, the gym she first joined in 2022, and has cited training alongside established champions as an important part of her development — notably drawing inspiration from ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues.
What is at stake in Bangkok
On paper, the fight with Russia’s Natalia “Karelian Lynx” Diachkova represents a standard test for a newly crowned champion: a first title defence under the brightest lights of Muay Thai’s most famous stadium. The bout is expected to be broadcast internationally on Prime Video in U.S. primetime, bringing significant exposure to both athletes and to the promotion.
- Event: ONE Fight Night 46 (main event)
- Date: Friday 14 August
- Location: Lumpinee Stadium, Bangkok
- Broadcast: Prime Video (U.S. primetime)
For Hemetsberger, the match is an opportunity to consolidate her status and begin a reign of legitimate defences rather than simply stacking achievements. For Diachkova, the challenge is to wrest the belt away on the sport’s most iconic stage.
| Title | How won | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title | Captured at ONE Fight Night 35 | Jackie Buntan |
| ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship | Won five months after Muay Thai victory | Jackie Buntan |
Observers will watch how Hemetsberger balances the expectations that come with dual championships. Some fighters find the additional pressure changes their approach; she insists her attitude and work ethic remain unchanged. That steadiness will be tested in Bangkok, where the traditions of Muay Thai and Lumpinee’s legacy combine to amplify the significance of every striking exchange.
Beyond the immediate sporting storyline, the bout highlights the continuing global expansion of ONE Championship as it stages high-profile nights at traditional Muay Thai venues and streams to international audiences. The promotion’s use of iconic arenas such as Lumpinee aims to bridge local heritage with a worldwide pay-to-view audience — a model that shapes how fighters are promoted and how careers are built in modern combat sports.
Ultimately, the fight will answer a simple but consequential question for Hemetsberger: will the woman who calls herself “Always Hungry” now begin a sustained reign, or will the first defence hand the narrative to a challenger seeking to upset a newly minted dual champion?
