Natalie Salcedo takes on Macarena Aragon in an atomweight MMA showdown in Bangkok on September 5, 2025
Aragon vs Salcedo clash will be part of the ONE Fight Night 35: Buntan vs Hemetsberger fight card
The event will be broadcast live in 190+ countries, and also available on the One YouTube channel
Undefeated American sensation Natalie Salcedo is set to make her arrival in ONE Championship, and she intends to keep her perfect record shining brightly at ONE Fight Night 35: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger on Prime Video on Friday, September 5.
The 33-year-old will face Argentine star Macarena Aragon in an atomweight MMA showdown in Bangkok, Thailand’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium.
For her, the bout represents more than just her first walk on the global stage – it’s her chance to prove that she belongs among the elite in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
And with a spotless slate and an ironclad belief in her skills, Salcedo is determined to announce herself in emphatic fashion on fight night.
She said:
“She’s a great opponent, she’s a really good judo practitioner, she has decent striking, and (she is) a good jiu-jitsu practitioner as well.
“I know that this is gonna be my first fight. I know that it’s gonna be a good fight, and so I’m really excited for it. But I also don’t really think that she’s gonna be able to push me or challenge me as easy as she thinks.”
Salcedo’s confidence comes from her strong body of work.
After compiling a 5-0 amateur record, she stormed onto the pro MMA scene with a victorious debut. She then followed it up with two dazzling finishes – the most recent a second-round armbar in May 2024.
That momentum carried her to ONE, where she’s now eager to showcase the full breadth of her game and make a statement against a proven competitor.
The American said:
“I think that anywhere the fight goes, I’m able to be a threat, whether we’re striking, whether we’re wrestling. (If) she throws me and I end up on bottom, cool. I can still stop you from the bottom.
“I’m not honestly worried about where the fight goes because I know that anywhere in the fight, I can be dangerous, and I don’t think the same goes for her.”
Like Salcedo, Aragon entered ONE with an undefeated record after establishing herself as one of Latin America’s brightest stars.
She debuted with a setback against future ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title challenger Ayaka “Zombie” Miura, rebounded with a close win over Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan, and most recently fell to Japanese standout Chihiro Sawada.
Now, Aragon seeks redemption against the promotional newcomer. But Salcedo is unfazed, and she has her own blunt assessment.
“Her striking is very sloppy, like it’s just big punches, lazy kicks. There’s a lot that I can capitalize on, whether it’s out-striking her and being in better positions, or using that against her to be able to get to grappling.
“At best, she gets a fluke submission or knockout or something, but I really don’t see that happening.”
Salcedo Aims To Shake Up The Stacked Atomweight Division
Natalie Salcedo recognizes the atomweight division is loaded with elite talent, but she’s not backing down.
She’s already watching names like Stamp Fairtex, the former three-sport ONE World Champion who seamlessly adapted her striking pedigree to MMA, and Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga, the freshly crowned ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion who continues to evolve fight after fight.
Salcedo also sees two surging Japanese standouts as exciting future matchups:
“There’s a couple different Japanese girls, Ayaka Miura and Chihiro Sawada, that I think have been doing really well. They’ve been able to showcase some really good wrestling.
“That’s been really cool to watch and I would love to match up with one of them in the near future.”
At the same time, the Denver native says she’s not just chasing names – she’s determined to deliver action-packed performances that force her opponents into deep waters.
For Salcedo, it’s never about playing it safe or eking out decisions. She excels at dictating the tempo, smothering rivals with constant offense until they falter – a quality she believes distinguishes her from many in the atomweight ranks.
“I’m somebody that’s gonna push the pace. I want to make people uncomfortable. Either they keep up with me or they break. Either way, it’s going to be entertaining for the fans.”
