Filipino-American fighter Jackie Buntan. Handout/ONE ChampionshipMANILA -- Filipino-American mixed martial artist Jackie Buntan knows she is the underdog when she clashes with Anissa Meksen for the inaugural ONE Women's Strawweight Kickboxing World Title.

They will face off on November 9 at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, as part of the loaded ONE 169 fight card.

"On paper, I'm the underdog. It's my first kickboxing fight," said Buntan, who will transition from Muay Thai into the discipline.

"She has more than double the experience. She's a multiple-time world champion," she said of Meksen. 

READ: Jackie Buntan takes on Meksen in world title clash

But Buntan points out that she has experience in overcoming the odds.

"It just reminds me of going into my first fight with 'Wondergirl,'" she said, referring to Thailand's Nat Jaroonsak, whom she beat via unanimous decision when they fought in February 2021. 

"I was a big underdog, odds stacked against me, and that's my motivation -- just go out there and showcase a new style every time I fight," said Buntan. "Showcase new adaptability, be better than my last performance, and win against one of the best kickboxers."

The Fil-Am fighter is counting on her punching power to carry her through, even though she will be wearing bigger gloves to abide by kickboxing rules.

"I'm very confident in the strength and power that I have, and the athleticism that I have," said Buntan, who has used lethal hook shots as her primary weapons in Muay Thai. "I make sure to have no shortcuts when it comes to strength transitioning into technique. I want to make sure that I'm doing the technique correctly, with full power."

"I think, just like all my matches, that's definitely going to be one of my strong suits. It doesn't matter that the gloves are bigger; I think the strength is still going to be there," she guaranteed.

For Buntan, the showdown against Meksen means "absolutely everything" as it will propel her to a different level as a fighter.

"There's more to it, but that's obviously the end goal, is you want to work toward something that solidifies your greatness, that solidifies your name in the sport," she said. "This is just the steppingstone, the first step in order to do that.

"I didn't really see myself fighting professionally until my early 20s, though being able to have another chance to compete for a World Title in a different sport, it's just an amazing opportunity that I do not take for granted at all. It means a whole lot of things to me. It's a lifelong journey that I honestly feel like I'm just beginning," she added.