“Everyone wants the belt” - Jackie Buntan embraces the pressure of holding on to ONE Championship gold

Jackie Buntan is ready for anyone who dares challenge her for the throne.

The reigning ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world champion is aware of her responsibilities as the division's queen and the pressures of holding such a lofty position.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Jackie Buntan said just the knowledge of facing anyone brave enough to face her between the ropes is enough motivation to push herself to her utmost limits. Buntan said:

"It's more so a realization like, 'OK, you are number one in the world now, there's a target on my back.' I know everyone wants the belt. It makes it exciting, and that makes me more motivated."

Buntan made history when she became the inaugural ONE women's strawweight kickboxing world champion following her career-defining win over the legendary Anissa Meksen.

Although she exclusively fought under Muay Thai rules in her first seven fights in ONE Championship, Buntan took the chance at kickboxing gold against one of the greatest fighters of all time.

Bangkok's iconic Lumpinee Stadium was the backdrop for Buntan and Meksen's calculated barnburner at ONE 169.

Throughout the match, Buntan and Meksen gave barely an inch of breathing room to each other.

Both fighters employed a methodical pace for much of the fight, but Buntan managed to step into a higher gear in the championship rounds.

Buntan's late aggression in the fourth and fifth rounds proved pivotal in the judges' eyes, as she took the unanimous decision win for her first piece of ONE Championship gold.

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Jackie Buntan says she looks at her early struggles to keep herself grounded and motivated

Jackie Buntan has already reached the pinnacle of her sport, yet she's never one to forget the harsh realities she lived through to get to her current status.

In a previous interview with ONE Championship, Buntan said she'd always look back to her roots to keep herself grounded. She said:

"I think people think once you’re a world champion or you’re on a big stage like ONE, you kind of forget about everything else you’ve done, but I don’t forget about those moments at all."