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Jackie Buntan, born Jackielou Buntan in 1997, has quickly established herself as one of the brightest representatives of U.S. Muay Thai on the global stage. A Filipino-American striker fighting out of Redondo Beach, California, under Team Boxing Works and longtime coach Bryan Popejoy, Buntan blends sharp boxing combinations, disciplined movement, and a relentless pace. Since her 2021 debut in ONE Championship—where she stunned Wondergirl Fairtex with a decisive win—she has proven that American fighters can compete with the best strikers in the world.
For casual fans discovering her now, Buntan is a refreshing face of modern Muay Thai. For her loyal supporters, she embodies persistence, intelligence, and grit. They’ve watched her outpoint veterans like Ekaterina Vandaryeva and Daniela López, survive wars with prodigy Smilla Sundell, and display fight-ending power with a first-round TKO of Diandra Martin. Her crowning achievement came in 2024 when she outworked Anissa Meksen—one of the most decorated female strikers alive—to capture the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship. That victory not only validated years of hard work but also earned her recognition as Combat Press’s Female Fighter of the Year, confirming what her fans already knew: Jackie Buntan is world-class.
Looking ahead, Buntan’s influence could be transformative. As a Filipino-American champion in a sport traditionally dominated by Thai and European athletes, she stands as a cultural bridge and a pioneer. She has spoken about giving back to the American Muay Thai scene, aiming to inspire the next generation of fighters, particularly young women, to see themselves at the top level of the sport. With her poise outside the ring and her brilliance inside it, Jackie Buntan is carving out a legacy that may ultimately be defined not only by her titles, but by the athletes and communities she inspires to follow in her footsteps.
Jackie Buntan returns to the global stage on September 5, 2025, headlining ONE Fight Night 35 at the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. In the main event, she will face Austria’s Stella Hemetsberger with the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai Championship on the line. Already the promotion’s inaugural strawweight kickboxing world champion, Buntan now bids to make history by adding a second belt to her resume and cementing her status as one of the most accomplished strikers in ONE. For Buntan, this fight is more than just about hardware—it’s about solidifying her legacy as a trailblazer for Filipino-American fighters and proving once again that her technical mastery and composure can carry her to the sport’s highest peaks.