‘I’m Confident In My Weapons’ – Stella Hemetsberger Ready To Dish Out A Striking Clinic At ONE Fight Night 46
· Yahoo Sports
Two World Titles. One relentless standard. Austrian superstar Stella “Always Hungry” Hemetsberger has absolutely no intention of letting either slip when she steps through the ropes at ONE Fight Night 46 on Prime Video.
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The 27-year-old makes her first defense of the ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title against Russian standout Natalia “Karelian Lynx” Diachkova in the main event of the blockbuster card, which will broadcast live in U.S. primetime this Friday, August 14, from Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium.
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The past 12 months have been nothing short of remarkable for Hemetsberger. She defeated Jackie Buntan in back-to-back matchups to capture both the ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Title and the Muay Thai crown.
Both victories proved that the Salzburgian — only the third two-sport ONE World Champion in the women’s division after Stamp Fairtex and Janet “JT” Todd — is no ordinary talent. However, none of that success has softened her competitive edge.
True to the moniker she has carried throughout her steady rise, the Austrian insists the version of herself stepping in against Diachkova is no different from the highly motivated newcomer who first turned heads on ONE Friday Fights.
Hemetsberger told onefc.com:
“My mindset hasn’t changed. I’m always working hard, and my main goal is to become better, evolve, and get more skills as a fighter. Of course, I have two belts to defend, but the main goal is to give my best performance.
“My motto will be ‘Always Hungry.’ I am very, very hungry to win the fight and defend my belt.”
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That internal drive has translated directly into how hard Hemetsberger has pushed herself throughout her rigorous training camp at Phuket Fight Club. She knows the Russian challenger will be no easy test.
Since suffering a lone promotional defeat during her first shot at the strawweight Muay Thai crown in 2024, Diachkova has rebounded with two straight victories, including a fourth highlight-reel stoppage on the global stage against Fahsai Aor Yutthachai at ONE Friday Fights 152.
“Always Hungry” has taken careful note of exactly what Diachkova’s physical power represents.
Hemetsberger continued:
“She has powerful hands. She has done well to earn her title shot. It’s also not my first time watching my opponents’ fights and seeing people getting knocked out. Her power is something that we have taken into consideration for our preparation.
“But I’m confident in my weapons. I’m confident in my cardio, I’m confident in my hands. I’m also confident in my technical game, and my body kicks. So yeah, as a whole, I’m confident in everything I bring to the table.”
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As impressive as Diachkova has looked, Hemetsberger — boasting a flawless 5-0 promotional record and an active seven-fight winning streak — remains the clear favorite in this high-stakes clash. However, that standing is not something she plans to let distract her.
The two-sport queen’s focus stays squarely on securing the victory rather than recklessly chasing an early finish. That being said, if the clear opportunity for a stoppage organically arrives, “Always Hungry” will not hesitate to take it.
She added:
“It doesn’t matter whether the finish comes. If the knockout comes, it comes. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. But my prediction is ‘And still, Stella Hemetsberger.’
“The goal of this fight is just to put on a good performance and come out on top. Whether it’ll be me outworking her over five rounds and showing my technical game, or finishing early, I’ll definitely be ready for everything.”
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Hemetsberger Trusts Her Experience
Operating with that exact same confidence, Stella Hemetsberger believes her World Championship pedigree provides a distinct edge heading into her main event clash against Natalia Diachkova at ONE Fight Night 46.
Both of her World Title-winning performances over Jackie Buntan went the full five-round distance — grueling, highly technical affairs that severely tested every ounce of her conditioning and composure under immense pressure. Few titleholders arrive at a first defense with that kind of proven endurance already on their professional resume.
The double champ continued:
“Having won five rounds and never been knocked out once in any of my professional fights before gives me confidence. It shows my fighting heart and spirit.
“But that does not mean I take whatever awaits me lightly or with overconfidence. I would say I just have the right healthy amount of confidence as always.”
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Beyond simply retaining her coveted crown this Friday, Hemetsberger has already started thinking about the larger picture that her prestigious platform as a two-sport World Champion provides.
With a rapidly growing international spotlight now hers to command, the Austrian striking ace sees a profound opportunity to utilize that position for something much greater than her own athletic accolades.
She concluded:
“With what I’ve achieved and what I’m continuing to achieve, I just want to make the sport more popular and inspire more younger fighters, younger girls to train.
“Hopefully, it’ll also create opportunities for them so they have more chances to fight and have an easier route into the world of combat sports.”
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