ONE Fight Night 39: Chihiro Sawada Hands Undefeated Natalie Salcedo First Career Loss

Japanese ground game specialist Chihiro Sawada reflected on her impressive unanimous decision victory over undefeated American fighter Natalie Salcedo at ONE Fight Night 39 on 24 January, showcasing her vastly

improved striking arsenal to dominate across three rounds.

The 28-year-old tagged her rival with left punches throughout the bout, controlling both stand-up exchanges and ground positions. Sawada's complete performance demonstrated her evolution from pure grappler to well-rounded mixed martial artist capable of winning anywhere.

The performance validated months of striking training. Sawada acknowledged that stand-up fighting was once her primary weakness, but her commitment to improvement has transformed that vulnerability into strength.

"In this fight, I believe I showed a performance that reflects my level of striking, which used to be my weakness. I wanted to control the whole game myself, and make her come to me in my striking game," Sawada said.

"I believe that as a fighter, you just do what you're supposed to do. If you win, that's good, and I want to use this victory as motivation to keep improving myself. "

For three rounds, the Japanese fighter dictated the pace and location of the fight. Salcedo entered with a perfect record but found no answers for Sawada's improved striking or superior grappling, suffering her first professional defeat.

The victory improved Sawada's record to 11-1 and positioned her on the right path toward a title shot against ONE Women's Atomweight MMA World Champion Denice Zamboanga. However, with the Filipina currently recovering from injury, an interim title opportunity has emerged.

Sawada expressed particular interest in facing compatriot Ayaka Miura for interim gold at the blockbuster ONE 175 event in April at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. The all-Japanese bout would provide the perfect showcase in front of their home crowd.

"Yes, I believe that right now I'm in a position for the title shot. First, I feel sympathy and hope Denice [Zamboanga] recovers as fast as possible. As for an [interim] title shot, of course I want to do it against Ayaka Miura," Sawada said.