Smilla Sundell – Sweden’s Rising Star in Combat Sports
June 11, 2026
Image: Smilla successfully used her knees in her second MMA fight. Photo credit: Smilla Sundell (private)
One of the brightest rising stars in women’s combat sports is Sweden’s Smilla Sundell. Her nickname, “The Hurricane,” perfectly reflects both her success and the aggressive fighting style that has made her a well-known name in the martial arts world. She enjoyed a meteoric rise in Muay Thai and kickboxing at a young age, but these days her focus is firmly set on MMA. Recently, she secured her second victory by technical knockout (TKO), and the question is just how far her development can take her. Could we see her competing in the UFC within the next few years? I certainly wouldn’t be surprised.
Smilla’s Early Life and Background
Smilla Sundell was born in late autumn 2004 in Sundbyberg, Sweden. She began training karate in her hometown at the age of five. It was around the age of ten that she was first introduced to Muay Thai during a family vacation in Thailand.
Moving to and Living in Thailand
At the age of twelve, Smilla moved with her family to the island of Koh Samui in southeastern Thailand. There, she and her sister began training Muay Thai at Yodyut Muaythai, partly because the range of other sports available on the island was limited. During this period, she built the foundation of her technical skills through daily training and around 30 fights at local venues.
When she was 15, the family returned to Sweden, but Smilla chose to remain in Thailand to continue pursuing her career in the sport. As the level of competition on Koh Samui was no longer sufficient for her ambitions, she took the next step in her career and moved to Pattaya in October 2019. There, she joined Fairtex Gym, a move that gave her the opportunity to continue developing at a professional level.
Image: Smilla during a photo shoot in the studio. Photo credit: Smilla Sundell (private)
Early Fights and Breakthrough
Even as a teenager, Smilla faced established fighters in both Thailand and Australia. Among her early successes were victories over several Thai opponents in Koh Samui, Pattaya, and Bangkok, as well as a win over Australian fighter Nicola Callander in 2020.
In 2019, she competed in one of her first high-profile bouts in Pattaya and began making a name for herself on the Thai combat sports scene. That same year, she lost a title fight for the WPMF World Championship in Ayutthaya, marking her first documented defeat at an elite level.
Throughout 2020, she continued to strengthen her record, defeating fighters such as Sawsing Sor Sopit and Ponpan Por Muangpetch in the Super Champ Muay Thai promotion in Bangkok. By this point, she had established herself as one of the most promising female Muay Thai athletes in the world. In January 2021, at just 16 years old, she was also ranked number one in the featherweight division by WBC Muaythai.
When she later signed with ONE Championship, her professional record stood at 31 wins, five losses, and one draw.
ONE Championship Debut and World Title
Smilla Sundell signed with ONE Championship as a 16-year-old in 2021 and made her debut on February 25, 2022, at ONE: Full Circle in Singapore. It was a successful debut, as she defeated Diandra Martin by technical knockout in the third round.
On April 22 of the same year, she faced Jackie Buntan for the Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship. After five rounds, Sundell emerged victorious by unanimous decision, becoming the youngest world champion in the organization’s history at just 17 years old. She was also awarded a $50,000 performance bonus for her achievement.
In May 2023, she made her kickboxing debut against Milana Bjelogrlić in Bangkok, winning by unanimous decision. Later that year, on September 29, she defended her world title against Allycia Rodrigues in Singapore. The victory came by technical knockout in the third round.
On May 4, 2024, Sundell faced Natalia Diachkova in Bangkok. Ahead of the fight, she missed the 126.5-pound weight limit and was therefore stripped of her title. As a result, only Diachkova was eligible to win the belt. Despite the circumstances, Sundell dominated the fight and secured a second-round technical knockout victory after a series of knees and body shots.
Image: Smilla hits Maya Stewart with a straight left. Photo credit: Smilla Sundell (private)
Muay Thai Record
Despite her relatively young age, Smilla Sundell has already compiled an impressive Muay Thai record. Particularly noteworthy is the high percentage of victories achieved by knockout or technical knockout.
• 36 wins (23 by knockout or technical knockout)
• 5 losses
• 1 draw
Record in ONE Championship
Her time in ONE Championship marked her definitive international breakthrough. There, Sundell established herself as one of the organization's most prominent young fighters while also making history.
• ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion
• 2 successful title defenses
• Victories over Jackie Buntan, Allycia Rodrigues, and Natalia Diachkova
• One of the most dominant young competitors in the organization during her tenure
MMA Career
Following her success in Muay Thai, increasing attention was directed toward a potential transition to MMA. To prepare for the move, Sundell began placing greater emphasis on grappling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), while continuing to develop her already highly accomplished striking game.
In October 2025, she signed with the Tuff-N-Uff promotion and made her professional MMA debut a few months later. So far, the transition has been a successful one. After two fights, she remains undefeated with a record of two wins and no losses, with both victories coming by technical knockout.
Her debut took place in Las Vegas on January 22, 2026, against Miranda Barber. Sundell finished the fight in the first round with a series of knees and elbows. On June 5, 2026, she followed up that performance by defeating Maya Stewart via second-round TKO. The bout also marked her debut in the bantamweight division.
Video: Smilla Sundell vs. Miranda Barber. Sundell's MMA debut at Tuff-N-Uff in Las Vegas.
General Facts About Smilla
• Born: November 12, 2004, in Sundbyberg, Stockholm County, Sweden
• Nickname: The Hurricane (formerly Smilla Fairtex)
• Height: 173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
• Reach: 175 cm (69 in)
• Website: SmillaSundell.com
• Instagram: Smilla on Instagram
• YouTube: Smilla on YouTube
Summary and What Lies Ahead for Smilla
Since her early teenage years, Smilla Sundell has competed in and won the vast majority of the Muay Thai bouts she has entered. She became a Muay Thai world champion at a young age in ONE Championship, one of the world's largest combat sports organizations. She also remains undefeated in MMA. Personally, I would not be the least bit surprised if we see her in the UFC within the next few years, and I can only wish her the very best of luck and continued success in her career. I will be covering more of her journey here on weegar.com.
Image: Lowkicks training on a large kicking shield at the gym. Photo credit: Smilla Sundell (private)
Image: Smilla knees her opponent in her second MMA fight. Photo credit: Smilla Sundell (private)
Image: Smilla in her BJJ outfit with her coach. Photo credit: Smilla Sundell (private)
Other Successful Combat Sports Athletes from Sweden
Sweden has produced many outstanding combat sports athletes over the years. Here are some notable examples in addition to Smilla:
• Ingemar "Ingo" Johansson (Boxing) captured the attention of the entire nation when he defeated Floyd Patterson in 1959 to become heavyweight world champion. He remains the only Swedish heavyweight world champion in professional boxing history.
• Frank Andersson (Wrestling) was one of Sweden's greatest wrestlers of all time. He won three World Championship gold medals (1977, 1979, and 1982), one European Championship gold medal, and an Olympic bronze medal in Greco-Roman wrestling.
• Ramon Malavé (Karate) became Karate World Champion in 1984 in the -65 kg weight class. That same year, he was named Stockholm's Athlete of the Year.
• Paul Doumbia (Taekwondo) became World Champion in Taekwondo under the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF). He has also won numerous Swedish national titles as well as tournaments such as the Challenge Cup and Master Cup.
• Magnus Cederblad (Ju-Jutsu) won multiple European Championship gold medals in Ju-Jutsu and also became Swedish heavyweight champion in judo, taekwondo, Muay Thai, and kickboxing during the mid-to-late 1980s.
• George Scott (Boxing) won an Olympic silver medal in Seoul in 1988 before going on to enjoy a successful professional career. In October 1995 he became the WBU Lightweight Champion, a title he defended four times.
• Jörgen Kruth (Muay Thai) is considered one of Sweden's most successful Muay Thai and K-1 fighters of all time. He won multiple World and European Championship titles throughout the 1990s and 2000s and became a pioneer of the sport in Sweden.
• Armand Krajnc (Boxing) became WBO middleweight world champion in 1999 and successfully defended the title several times. For a period, he was ranked among the world's top boxers in his division.
• Ara Abrahamian (Wrestling) won two World Championship gold medals (2001 and 2002), four European Championship gold medals, and an Olympic bronze medal. He is one of Sweden's most accomplished wrestlers of the modern era.
• Martin Lidberg (Wrestling) won a World Championship gold medal in 2003 and three European Championship gold medals in Greco-Roman wrestling. During the 2000s, he was one of the world's most successful wrestlers in his weight class.
• Sanny Dahlbeck (Muay Thai) established himself during the 2000s and 2010s as one of the world's leading Muay Thai fighters. He won multiple world titles and, at his peak, was ranked among the best pound-for-pound practitioners in the sport.
• Frida Wallberg (Boxing) became WBC super featherweight world champion in 2011 and successfully defended the title five times. She is one of Sweden's most accomplished female boxers of all time.
• Alexander Gustafsson (MMA) was one of the world's top light heavyweight fighters during the 2010s. He challenged for the UFC title three times and became internationally renowned following his classic championship bout against Jon Jones in 2013.
• Otto Wallin (Boxing) has been part of the heavyweight elite throughout the 2010s and 2020s. He gained international recognition after his highly competitive bout against Tyson Fury in 2019 and has since faced several of the world's highest-ranked heavyweight boxers.
• Badou Jack (Boxing) has won world titles in multiple weight classes, including the WBC super middleweight title 2015 and the WBA light heavyweight title 2017. He is one of Sweden's most successful professional boxers of the modern era.
Image: Smilla Sundell being photographed in a studio. Photo credit: Smilla Sundell (private)
Note: Muay Thai and Thai boxing refer to the same sport.
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