ONE FIGHT NIGHT 40: Stella Hemmitzberger talks camp with Alicia Helen Rodriguez: ‘We have strong fighters’

Stella Hemmitzberger of Austria, the women’s strawweight Muay Thai world champion, believes iron sharpens iron.

“Always Hungry” quickly rose to the top of the women’s Muay Thai rankings, something she credits to the elite level environment at Phuket Fight Club.

The Austrian is surrounded by high-level coaches and teammates on a daily basis, including fellow champion, women’s atomweight queen, Alicia Helen Rodriguez.

For Hemetsberger, training alongside the Brazilian champion has accelerated her progress.

“During every session, we make sure we help each other, push each other, and make each other better. Aside from Alicia and me, a lot of the girls at Phuket Fight Club are strong. Overall, we have strong fighters,” she told ONE Championship.

Hemetsberger has become one of the promotion’s biggest rising stars in 2025 after a perfect 4-0 series.

That includes her title win over Jackie Buntin at ONE Fight Night 35 last September that catapulted her to superstardom.

Now, the 26-year-old will be gunning for a second crown when she takes on the Filipino-American standout for the second time for her world strawweight kickboxing title in the main event of ONE Fight Night 40 on February 13.

Teammate Rodriguez is also scheduled to defend her belt at ONE Fight Night 41 against “The Queen” Phetjeeja on March 13.

Stella Himitzberger talks about how she developed her friendship with Alicia Helen Rodriguez

Stella Hemetsberger was like a sponge, absorbing every bit of knowledge and guidance from Allycia Hellen Rodrigues.

She didn’t know that they were kindred spirits and they later communicated outside of training. After a few years, they became practically inseparable.

The strawweight Muay Thai queen told ONE:

“I was learning from her and teaching everything I could. As the years progressed, we became close to each other on a personal level as well. We are friends now.”

Watch ONE Fight Night 40 and ONE Fight Night 41 live on US Primetime via Prime Video for subscribers in North America.