Nat “Wondergirl” Jaroonsak is set to step inside the ONE Championship Circle once again, but this time she’ll be making her mixed martial arts debut at ONE 157: Petchmorakot vs. Vienot on Friday, May 20.
The Thailand National Muay Thai champion is leaving behind the sport that she’s best known for in order to take on a new challenge, and she’s motivated to push herself out of her comfort zone.
“I’m a striker, and MMA is kind of a new sport in Thailand,” Wondergirl told ONE. “Muay Thai fighters, most of them, are scared to try it out. They’re scared to do grappling, BJJ, and wrestling because it’s kind of new for us. And it’s been challenging for me to spend my training in grappling and wrestling classes – not just Muay Thai two times a day.”
Standing opposite the Marrok Force standout will be promotional newcomer Zeba “Fighting Queen” Bano.
Bano is 6-0 in MMA, with four knockouts. The Indian star will be a stern first test for Wondergirl in the all-encompassing sport, but the Thai fighter feels ready to take it on.
“I’ve never seen her fight before,” the 22-year-old star said. “I just researched her fights and her performances, and I think she’s a striker. Even though she’s training wrestling and BJJ to beat me, I’m not scared. I’ve been training [in MMA] for, like, two years already. I’m not just Muay Thai or striking.
“I am a Muay Thai professional fighter. And, of course, my striking [includes] everything in Muay Thai – elbows, knees, clinch, head kicks, low kicks, even teeps. If I’m her coach, I would find a way to take me down. But who knows? Maybe she’s going to strike with me in all the rounds.”
Though she may just be starting her MMA journey in ONE, fans of the Thai dynamo already know that she has skills away from her stand-up game. Wondergirl is a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and she has some grappling medals in her collection.
If she can replicate the success she found in Muay Thai inside the Circle, Wondergirl’s future in mixed martial arts could be bright. And while she wants to make a slow climb up the ranks, she isn’t afraid of any challenge that may come her way.
“I want to go slow but strong, just like Stamp [Fairtex],” Wondergirl said. “She didn’t face the top fighter in her very first fight in MMA. I’m not rushing. I just turned 23 and still have a lot of time to work on and improve my skills. But if ONE wants to give me a strong opponent, then that’s fine. I respect ONE’s opinions and matchmaking. I’ll fight anyone they want to give me.”
ONE 157 will air live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on May 20 at 4:30 a.m. ET.