After seven years of relentless dedication, Johanna Persson will finally receive her chance at martial arts immortality when she challenges longtime ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues for the gold.
The fight will headline ONE Fight Night 33: Rodrigues vs. Persson on Pime Video, which goes down live in U.S. primetime at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, July 11.
Persson’s ascent to this moment has been marked by steady improvement and unwavering resolve. The Swedish striker’s seven-fight winning streak represents countless hours in the gym, culminating with her WBC Muay Thai World Title victory over Rhona Walker in her opponent’s home country, Scotland, this past April.
That ultimately led to her upcoming high-stakes clash with Rodrigues, the 27-year-old Brazilian powerhouse who has reigned over ONE’s atomweight Muay Thai division for almost half a decade.
The Phuket Fight Club representative, who boasts a 34-7 record, has defeated some of the sport’s biggest names during her nearly five-year reign, including former three-sport queen Stamp Fairtex, former two-sport titleholder Janet Todd, and former ISKA World Champion Cristina Morales. Most recently, she ripped through British challenger Marie McManamon, finishing her in the fourth round via TKO this past March.
Persson will now test her skills against the surging Rodrigues on the global stage, and she has a chance to leave Bangkok’s most legendary fight venue with 26 pounds of gold in her promotional debut. For the 30-year-old striker, it’s a surreal feeling:
“It means everything. This is what I’ve been working for over the past seven years, and now I’ve got a shot at my goal – fighting for the belt and competing in ONE Championship. I can’t actually describe how big of a dream this is.”
(@johannakpersson)Persson, who splits her training at Sitjaopho Muaythai and Gefle Fight Camp, has methodically climbed the ladder with her technical excellence and mental fortitude. Each victory served as proof that her relentless pursuit of perfection would eventually lead to an invite from the world’s largest martial arts organization.
For the Swedish challenger, this ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Title opportunity represents the culmination of a meticulous career plan executed with precision. From learning the fundamentals as a 23-year-old novice to defeating elite talent across the globe, Persson has never wavered from her ultimate goal of challenging for the richest prize in the sport.
As ONE Fight Night 33 approaches, she can’t help but feel grateful:
“It’s a testament to what I’m doing is working, it’s a milestone for all my hard work over the past six to seven years. It shows that people within the community and fans appreciate what I’m doing, and they want to celebrate me.”
Persson Believes Her Versatility Will Be Key
Allycia Hellen Rodrigues brings an impressive resume to the table, but Johanna Persson and her team have noticed some glaring holes in her game that they think the Swedish contender can capitalize on.
The Gavle native, who trains under head coach David Lehnberg, acknowledges that her Brazilian rival possesses tremendous power and brilliant striking accuracy, but she believes that she can disrupt the mom-champ’s rhythm.
Also, Persson thinks her versatility and forward pressure will be major keys to victory:
“I love to push [the pace] and press forward. David says I’m a bit of a muay mat, and I could be a muay femur if I want to. But, always, my main goal is to press forward and conquer a fight. I want to implement my rhythm in a fight.”
Muay mats are known for their aggressive style and powerful boxing, which will only be amplified when Persson punches with the 4-ounce gloves, and muay femurs are renowned for their technical expertise. Paired together, it creates a deadly mixture.
Months of studying Rodrigues’ footage have revealed patterns and habits that Persson intends to exploit. The 5-foot-4 striker believes her relentless pace will eventually create openings in Rodrigues’ defense, leading to the decisive moment she has been visualizing throughout her training camp.
But Persson doesn’t necessarily expect the final blow to come with her punches. She predicts finishing the reigning queen with a different weapon to obtain ONE World Title gold on July 11:
“It’s going to be done with elbows. That’s all I can say.”
