“A good way for me to progress” - 'Wondergirl' says mixed-rules bout against Dayane Cardoso will boost her MMA development

Nat ‘Wondergirl’ Jaroonsak is playing the long game in her mixed martial arts development, and she’ll grab any opportunity just to do so.

The Muay Thai phenom is still a greenhorn in her MMA career, and she'd try to absorb as much knowledge as she faces Brazilian fighter Dayane Cardoso on February 16.

‘Wondergirl’ and Cardoso would square off in a strawweight mixed-rules match at ONE Fight Night 19 at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Jaroonsak said her mixed-rules fight against the marauding Cardoso will be a massive step in her MMA development.

She said:

“Yeah, I believe this is a good way for me to progress. It's really good, like I want to stay focused on just one sport, you know. I do not want to be like doing everything, [but being] not good at everything. I want to like stay focused in one way, just MMA, but yeah, this is still a good deal to fight.”

Cardoso and Jaroonsak will feature in a four-round mixed-rules match similar to the one between ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon and MMA legend Demetrious Johnson.

The two superstars fought under the groundbreaking spectacle, alternating between Muay Thai and MMA rulesets. Johnson, now the ONE flyweight MMA world champion, eventually won the fight via second-round submission.

ONE Fight Night 19 is ONE Championship’s second Amazon card of the year and is available live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.

Watch Jaroonsak's entire interview below:

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‘Wondergirl’ believes mixed-rules bout against Dayane Cardoso better than pure boxing in 4-ounce gloves

‘Wondergirl’ is no stranger to special rules bouts in ONE Championship.

In her last match, the 25-year-old took on the indomitable ONE women’s strawweight MMA world champion Xiong Jing Nan in a first-of-its-kind boxing contest utilizing four-ounce gloves.

Xiong, a natural boxer, operated on another level and handed Jaroonsak a third-round TKO loss.

Jaroonsak, however, learned her lesson and believes her impending mixed-rules fight with Cardoso would be better than her special rules match against the Chinese superstar.

In an interview with The Allstar, ‘Wondergirl’ said:

“I think I prefer this one better than the full boxing fight, I don't know. That one was kind of like new to me, and there were so many mistakes that happened. So yeah, I think this one is better at least like the ruleset.”

Watch Jaroonsak's interview below: