Austrian bruiser Stella Hemetsberger created history last year by claiming her first ONE Championship world title gold. Now, just five months later, ‘Always Hungry’ walked out of the very venue as a two-sport ONE world champion.
The ONE women’s strawweight Muay Thai world champion captured Jackie Buntan’s strawweight kickboxing gold in the main event of ONE Fight Night 40 on Prime Video, which emanated live in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, Feb. 13.
Stella Hemetsberger earned a unanimous decision win over Buntan in their first encounter last September. The 27-year-old dropped the Filipino-American slugger twice in the opening round and caught her with crisp counters to impress all three judges at ringside during their ONE Fight Night 35 barnburner.
Buntan promised to unleash hell in this sequel with her gold on the line and a chance to avenge her defeat to Hemetsberger. However, the Salzburg warrior did just enough to eke a win over the Boxing Works affiliate in this electrifying rematch.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
The Filipino-American kicked things off with timely combinations, entering the pocket without over-committing, perhaps taking note of the Austrian’s match-ending power after she dropped her twice during their first fight.
Stella Hemetsberger responded with beautiful counters, though. And she stuck to the same tactic in the second stanza against Buntan, who resumed action behind non-stop aggression in the second frame.
The Boxing Works superstar, teammates with former two-sport ONE world champion Janet Todd, held her own inside the pocket. She picked Stella Hemetsberger apart, but the latter had the better shot selection, though she was largely outvolumed by Buntan in the third.
Both fighters headed back into their corner looking frustrated. However, when action resumed in the fourth round, they masked any fear behind violence.
Hemetsberger instantly found her mark with her right body kick, which struck Buntan’s midsection, thighs, and calves. She did her best to unsettle Buntan’s rhythm, though the latter continued her hunt upstairs with her supreme boxing.
Round 5 provided more or less the same plot. The Californian stormed into the pocket with explosive attacks, but Stella Hemetsberger’s chain of kicks and punches landed with more accuracy.
After five entertaining rounds, two of the three judges at ringside awarded ‘Always Hungry’ the win.
Official result: Stella Hemetsberger defeats Jackie Buntan via split decision
Stella Hemetsberger’s triumphant outing in the headline attraction of ONE Fight Night 40 improved her overall slate to an impressive 10-1 and took her to 2-0 in her rivalry against Buntan.
The RS-Gym and Phuket Fight Club affiliate has looked unstoppable throughout her tenure on the global stage of ONE, too, looking more impressive with each passing fight.
Since debuting with a three-round clinic against Chellina Chirino at ONE Friday Fights 82, ‘Always Hungry’ has claimed four straight wins, including a savage highlight-reel win over Vanessa Romanowski, which earned her a US$100,000 contract and a spot on the main roster of the organization.
Needless to say, ‘Always Hungry’ has made the most of her main roster opportunity, beating Buntan twice to showcase exactly why she’s the top striking superstar today.
The sky seems to be the limit for Hemetsberger right now. If she can continue this remarkable form throughout 2026, it’s safe to say that no woman could knock her off her strawweight Muay Thai and strawweight kickboxing throne.
North American fight fans who missed any of the action from ONE Fight Night 40 can watch the full event replay on Amazon Prime Video.
Edited by Aziel Karthak
