Smilla Sundell Confesses “It’s Been Hard to Focus” Before Natalia Diachkova Fight Was Confirmed at ONE Fight Night 22

Smilla Sundell wants to be a fighting champion, and she has been eagerly waiting for a challenger to step up in her division.

On Friday, May 3, the ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion will get her wish, as she is set to defend her strap against the surging Natalia Diachkova in the main event of ONE Fight Night 22 inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Smilla Sundell finally gets her much awaited fight at ONE Fight Night 22

Since winning the coveted belt at ONE 156 in April 2022, Sundell has won a kickboxing match and cemented her reign with a dominant third-round finish of atomweight Muay Thai queen Allycia Hellen Rodrigues last September. 

Nonetheless, she would have wanted to be more active.

Speaking to ONE, the teen phenom revealed it has been difficult to prepare for her next battle, given the complications she has faced.

“I’ve been told that I was going to fight many times now, but it’s been rescheduled and canceled, so I didn’t have any opponents,” Sundell said. 

“It’s very hard to focus when you don’t have a person in mind. So, it’s been hard to focus, but I’m on it now. I need a name to focus on.”

Tough task ahead for Smilla Sundell against Natalia Diachkova

Various unforeseen circumstances have delayed Sundell from making her return. But in Diachkova, she has an undeniable challenge to her reign.

The Russian striker has dominated every opponent that has stepped into the ONE Championship ring with her so far and finished three of four, with the other falling to a unanimous decision loss.

Her latest victory at the ONE Friday Fights series – a first-round TKO win against Chellina Chirino – earned her a six-figure contract to compete in the world’s largest martial arts organization’s premiere events.

And when she learned that her first fight would be for the ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title, “Karelian Lynx” flew straight to Bangkok.

Far being intimidated by Diachkova’s run of dominance, though, Sundell feels relieved that someone has finally stepped up, and she now has her mind set on the name given to her. 

“I was like, ‘Oh, finally.’ But it was kind of hard getting [an opponent]. It was hard for me to also focus. But when I got the name, I switched on my fight mode,” she said.