Wondergirl Jaroonsak made her long awaited MMA debut tonight. The Thai fighter was up against Zeba Bano but needed less than 90 seconds to secure the submission win.
Bano came into the fight boasting a 6-0 record. By contrast Wondergirl was competing in MMA for the first time but the 23 year old has already fought for ONE Championship in Muay Thai.
It wasn’t the Thai fighter’s striking that made the difference here though. She finished the undefeated Indian with an armbar:
"Wondergirl" 🇹🇭 is BACK!
Nat Jaroonsak submits Zeba Bano with a first-round armbar in her MMA debut 💪#ONE157 | #ONEChampionship | https://t.co/eBUfsODAFL pic.twitter.com/KoQUpjFWVC
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) May 20, 2022
Nervous night
Speaking afterwards Wondergirl admitted to having felt some nerves ahead of the fight,
“I’m so excited I couldn’t sleep last night. It’s my first time in MMA and I didn’t fight for a year and I won by submission! I said I was going to finish. Standup or on the ground, I was ready to finish her in every single position.”
She still has several fights left on her Muay Thai contract with ONE Championship. Wondergirl admits she is open to switching between sports but says her prime focus is on pursuing her MMA ambitions,
“I want to focus more on MMA but I’d you want to give me a Muay Thai fight it’s all good. MMA strawweight division I’m coming for you guys!”
🗣 She said: "SUBMISSION!"#ONE157 | #ONEChampionship | https://t.co/eBUfsODAFL pic.twitter.com/KKhLbXMLjt
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) May 20, 2022
More experience
While a win over Zabo, a previously undefeated Indian fighter, won’t exactly send shockwaves through the division there are some big fights out there for Wondergirl. Xiong Jing Nan is the only fighter to ever hold the belt and the Thai could probably hold her own against the champion in a striking contest.
It is far too soon to talk about title shots. The other ranked strawweight fighters on the roster are Tiffany Teo, Michelle Nicolini, Dayane Cardoso, Ayaka Miura and Angela Lee.
They all have much more experience than Wondergirl, at least in MMA terms. But the Thai fighter has made it clear that she wants to face the biggest names in the division.
You cannot question Wondergirl’s striking credentials, she is one of the top strawweight Muay Thai fighters on the roster. Scoring a submission win on her debut will certainly give the other fighters in the division something to think about.
Tougher tests than Zabo surely await Wondergirl. But she got her MMA career off to the perfect start at ONE 158 tonight.
