Johanna Persson steps into the ONE Championship spotlight against dominant champion Allycia Rodrigues.
Swedish striker Persson faces a huge challenge when she makes her ONE Championship debut against atomweight queen Allycia Rodrigues in the main event of ONE Fight Night 33, live on Sky Sports+.
Persson will pull on the 4oz gloves for the first time against the promotion's longest reigning current champion at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
Persson wasn't a lifelong martial artist like most fighters. She discovered Muay Thai at 23 while at university, channelling the energy of an always-active childhood into combat sports. What began as a hobby quickly became an obsession. Her crowning moment came in April when she captured the WBC Muay Thai world title in Scotland.
Now holding both ISKA and WBC world championships, the 29-year-old is ready for her biggest challenge yet under the ONE Championship lights.
"It was an incredible feeling to get the call, almost surreal at first," Persson said of her ONE Championship signing. "But deep down, I knew this is what I'm meant to do."
Originally scheduled for another fight, Persson was already in peak condition when ONE offered her a multi-fight deal and an immediate title shot. For her, the decision was simple: "There was nothing to think about. I said yes without hesitation.
"ONE called me Europe's top female striker- and that's a huge honour," Persson reflects. "But for me, it's always about the work I do every day."
Rodrigues' Reign
Standing in her way is Allycia Hellen Rodrigues, a Brazilian powerhouse who has been unstoppable at atomweight since claiming the belt in 2020. Rodrigues is a master of control, using precise timing and fight IQ to break opponents down.
Rodrigues most recently showcased her power with a stoppage over British fighter Marie McManamon back in March, following a dominant win over Christina Morales last year.
This will be her fourth title defence, with only one loss in ONE in the weight class above. Staying active has been difficult for the champion. Her planned bout against Shir Cohen last month was cancelled for the second time, leaving her eager to finally return to action.
Despite these setbacks, Rodrigues remains undefeated at 115lbs in ONE Championship and shows no signs of slowing down. A victorious title defence would make her the most successful Muay Thai champion in the promotion's history
Persson respects her opponent's skills, admitting: "She's a tough, experienced and very intelligent fighter.
"She doesn't make many mistakes and she's great at controlling the pace. The challenge will be to break her rhythm, shift the momentum, and make it my kind of fight - without getting reckless."
The transition to ONE Championship's signature 4oz gloves presents a different obstacle for Persson. "This is also my first time fighting in small gloves which will be a challenge in itself," she highlighted.
But with her coach Davis Lehnberg by her side and training at the legendary Sitjaopho Gym in Thailand for the last weeks of her fight camp, Persson feels ready for the moment.
The hungry challenger's power and unpredictability faces the established champion's technical mastery. Will Rodrigues cement herself in ONE Championship history, or will Persson's relentless pressure produce a stunning upset?
Watch Rodrigues vs Persson live on Sky Sports+ from 2am in the early hours of Saturday morning.