ONE Women's Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues delivered a spectacular third-round knockout victory over Sweden's Johanna Persson at ONE Fight Night 33, but the Brazilian is already looking toward her next challenge in mixed martial arts.
The 27-year-old successfully defended her title on July 12 at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium with a devastating left hook that first dropped Persson in the third round, followed by another perfectly timed left hook that ended the contest.
The performance earned Rodrigues a US$50,000 bonus for her spectacular finish.Despite entering as the favourite, Rodrigues faced early pressure from the aggressive Swedish challenger that required tactical adjustments during the fight.
"We knew she was going to put on the pressure, but we didn't think she was going to put in a lot of hands also. She punched a lot," Rodrigues explained. "I just took the time to find myself. And when I found myself, everything was okay."
The victory showcased another level in Rodrigues' development as an elite striker.Her tactical adaptability and finishing instincts showcased the evolution she's undergone in training.
"I'm happy with my performance because we've been training a lot. We want to finish fights and try to finish the fight more early every time we come, but we just find ourselves getting better in boxing, getting better in everything," she said.
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While Rodrigues remains committed to defending her Muay Thai crown, her long-term focus has shifted toward expanding into mixed martial arts competition. The Phuket Fight Club representative sees 2026 as the target year for making her MMA debu
"My focus is to train in MMA, and next year to start in MMA. We're going to try to defend our belt if everything works well," Rodrigues revealed. "But the final focus now is to go to MMA."
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