She already owned the division’s Muay Thai crown, and with two belts now fastened around her waist, the 27-year-old became only the third woman in ONE Championship history to hold world titles in two high-profile disciplines, joining Stamp Fairtex and Janet Todd in that exclusive company.
The rematch came five months after their first meeting under Muay Thai rules, where Hemetsberger dropped Buntan twice in the first round to leave a tightly contested fight on the scorecards. This time the rules shifted to kickboxing and a sustained output of five rounds became the determining factor. Hemetsberger answered Buntan’s hand combinations with measured counters, consistent body kicks and a rhythm that never faltered in the championship rounds.
“It was different. In the first fight I managed to get the two knockdowns in the first round that decided the fight,” Hemetsberger said. “I think in this fight I managed to have a good fight for five rounds and stay good until the end, showing my skills again. It was a different fight than the first fight because in the first fight the knockdowns had a big influence on the fight, but I think in this fight I was able to show that I was the better fighter over five rounds.”
Stella Hemetsberger reflects on the writing of Austrian martial arts history
The victory had significance far beyond the world of kickboxing. Stella Hemetsberger entered ONE Championship through the weekly ONE Friday Fights series in late 2024, stringing together three straight victories at the same Lumpinee Stadium and earning a $100,000 contract. Less than six months later, she became Austria’s first ONE world champion. Now she is the first double champion.
What comes next remains open. Hemetsberger holds both the strawweight Muay Thai and kickboxing titles, meaning defenses in two disciplines are on the table. She doesn’t force the conversation about future opponents, and she didn’t change her tone towards Buntan after the final bell. For now, the focus is simply on carrying two divisions with the same hunger that brought her here.
From Friday Fights newcomer to two-time champion in just over a year, the magnitude of the achievement was not lost on Hemetsberger when the dust settled. She ended the evening by speaking directly to the people at home who made this possible, and then turned her attention to what lay ahead.
“Thank you very much to everyone back home – my team, my friends, the police who supported me throughout my career, and everyone in Austria,” Hemetsberger said. “We have made history overall by being the first Austrian fighter in ONE Championship, becoming the first Austrian champion and becoming the first Austrian double champion. We have made history. I will defend everything. I really like the kickboxing rules. I also love Muay Thai. There are no easy fights as a champion. We will see what comes next – I will do my best and put on another great fight.”
#Stella #Hemetsberger #Rewrites #History #Fight #Night #Great #Fight