No Polish athlete has yet won a ONE World Title. Magdalena Czaban, 5-0 and two appearances into her promotional career, intends to change that.
Her next step comes against Victoria Souza in women's atomweight MMA at ONE Fight Night 49: Gabriel vs. Magomedov on Prime Video on Friday, November 6, at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The 27-year-old from Krakow has already put a number on how she expects it to end.
"I hope we will have a good [fight] in the ring. I hope we will have a good time and we will show people that we are one of the best in the world," Czaban said.
"I will say it will end in the second round, but I will not say how!"
The prediction fits her record. Czaban finished all four of her regional opponents, and her promotional debut against Natalie Salcedo at ONE Fight Night 46 in August was the first time a professional bout of hers reached the scorecards.
She controlled that contest throughout. She bloodied Salcedo's nose early, used takedowns in the second round, and closed out the unanimous decision with knees and ground-and-pound.
Souza represents a significant step up in experience. The Brazilian owns four ONE wins, including a unanimous decision over former ONE Women's Strawweight MMA World Title challenger Ayaka Miura at ONE Fight Night 45 in July.
She also submitted Itsuki Hirata with a guillotine in 91 seconds at ONE 167. Her ability to win close rounds and finish quickly makes her a demanding second assignment for a newcomer.
Czaban's versatility gives her options. The CTRL Fight product can work on the feet or take the fight to the mat, transitioning between the two without hesitation.
Beyond Friday, she sees the larger significance of her rise. She is willing to be patient, but the long-term goal is clear.
"I know if I win the fights, it will lead me to the title shots. It doesn't have to be next year, but I just want to show everyone that I'm still developing and my skill is rising," Czaban said.
"We don't have a ONE Champion in Poland. If one day it will happen, that would be crazy. I think I will be just happy because the young version of me never imagined herself in that place."
