Rising US-based Filipina striker Jackie Buntan said she is expecting a tough outing when she takes on highly regarded Thai prospect Wondergirl Fairtex next week.

The 23-year-old from Los Angeles is due to face Fairtex at ONE: Fist of Fury, at Singapore Indoor Stadium on February 26.

Watching Fairtex's previous bouts and carefully analyzing them, Buntan said she has had a glimpse of what her opponent brings to the table.

“Usually when I fight, I don’t like watching too much on my opponent. I’ll just watch a round or two, just to get an idea and then my coach does the rest but I’ve definitely seen her past two fights. But they ended short, so I didn’t get to see a full peek of her arsenal. I definitely have a brief idea of what she does,” Buntan, making her ONE debut, said.

“She’s Thai style as well. We both are Thai style and it would make a beautiful nice fight. She likes to come over with straight shots, those are two things I noticed from watching those past fights.”

• MMA: Pinay striker targets Muay Thai, kickboxing titles in ONE

Fairtex, a 2-time Thailand Muay Thai Champion, is a promising young prospect on the ONE Super Series roster, but Buntan is looking to upend her esteemed opponent and start her own rise.

“I’d say I guess I could be a little bit more patient cause I’m a counter fighter, but I have some new tools from my arsenal. Always wanna bet on yourself. All I can say is it’s going to be a good and technical fight,” said Buntan.

ONE: Fist of Fury is a 3-part event, beginning with a live broadcast on February 26. The main event features a ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship showdown between reigning titleholder Ilias Ennahachi and No. 2 contender Superlek Kiatmoo9.

Also on the card are kickboxing legend Giorgio Petrosyan, ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon, and the debut of rising teenage star Victoria Lee.

Buntan expects her bout to be action-packed and fast-paced.

“I’m not trying to sound cocky, just training with Bryan (Popejoy) for so long I’ve developed a higher fight IQ than where I was a year ago. Even during quarantine, I took that time to be as consistent as possible and sharpen the tools I already have, and sharpen the fight IQ,” said Buntan.

“I think my brain really (is my biggest asset), being able to make smart decisions in there. That’s going to be the difference.”

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