Having already demonstrated her worthiness, the title hopeful is no longer willing to leave her fate in the hands of the officials.
At ONE Fight Night 46, Natalia Diachkova will receive another opportunity to challenge Stella Hemetsberger for the ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship. Scheduled as the headline bout, the card will stream live in US primetime this Friday, August 14, originating from the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. The Russian athlete initially secured a lucrative six-figure contract with the promotion after a flawless 4-0 start. Following a failed title bid, she quickly bounced back with two consecutive wins, thoroughly rebuilding her status as the top contender.
According to Diachkova, Hemetsberger’s path to the championship shows that her skills have not yet faced a genuine test. She suggested that the champion’s consecutive victories over Jackie Buntan reflected more on Buntan’s performance than on the Austrian’s superior ability.
“I spoke with top-tier coaches from both Russia and Thailand, and they all shared the opinion that Stella didn’t win that match; rather, Jackie handed it away,” she remarked.
Natalia Diachkova fully prepared for any scenario this Friday
Diachkova explained that her training camp was not designed around chasing a fast stoppage. Instead, she chose to prepare for a full five-round battle, remaining adaptable to whatever unfolds. This calculated patience is backed by a deep-seated belief that a stoppage victory will naturally materialize when the right moment arises.
“A knockout isn’t my primary focus, but I am mentally primed for it. I am prepared to stop her in any round, from the first to the fifth. My goal is to capture her second championship belt as well,” she expressed.
If Diachkova delivers on her words, she will shatter Hemetsberger’s undefeated 5-0 record in the organization. Furthermore, she would deprive the champion of one of the two crowns that established her status as a concurrent two-sport titleholder.
Now boasting a 6-1 record within the promotion, including four stoppage victories, Diachkova has successfully re-established her elite status after her initial championship defeat. She views this Friday’s showdown as the ultimate chance to align her achievements with the respect she feels she deserves.
This story was originally published on BJPENN.COM
