“I was just a tiny girl training” - Smilla Sundell admits she felt intimidated when she first started martial arts

Teenage phenom Smilla Sundell is no doubt one of the most intimidating female strikers on the planet right now. But there was a time when she was the one on the other side of the equation.

The reigning ONE women’s strawweight Muay Thai world champion recalled how she got into martial arts and how frightening it was at first.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Sundell admitted that she initially felt scared when her gym’s resident musclemen started training at the same time as her.

Sundell, though, quickly felt at ease with the atmosphere inside the gym.

She said:

"You can certainly see those big guys with big muscles, which were a bit scary. But I knew I wasn’t going to fight them. I was just a tiny girl training for exercise.”

Those visions are now distant memories for Sundell as she became one of the best female Muay Thai fighters on the planet.

The 5-foot-8 sniper owns a professional record of 35-5 and is a perfect 4-0 in ONE Championship.

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Relive Smilla Sundell’s dominant world title defense against Allycia Hellen Rodrigues

Smilla Sundell is coming off her second knockout win in her ONE Championship tenure when she defended the ONE women’s strawweight Muay Thai world title against fellow world champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues.

The ONE atomweight Muay Thai world champion moved up a weight class and challenged for a second world title after Jackie Buntan, Sundell’s original opponent, pulled out of the ONE Fight Night 14 match.

Despite the change in opponent, Sundell looked like a master in every shape or form.

Sundell had to weather Rodrigues’ early storm and showed why she’s one of the most fearsome strikers in the world.

‘The Hurricane’ blasted Rodrigues with clinch knees before ending the fight with a terrifying hook combo late in the third round.

Watch Smilla Sundell's world title win over Rodrigues below: