ONE Championship returns to Bangkok with a card built around redemption, rivalry and divisional urgency when ONE Fight Night 40 unfolds at Lumpinee Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Championship gold and career momentum will both be on the line in a night that carries major implications across multiple divisions.

Headlining the event, reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Jackie Buntan steps back into the spotlight against a familiar opponent who once derailed her historic ambitions. The Californian meets Austria’s Stella “Always Hungry” Hemetsberger in a rematch loaded with unfinished business.

Their rivalry traces back to September at ONE Fight Night 35, when the two collided for the vacant strawweight Muay Thai crown. That bout quickly turned dramatic after Hemetsberger scored two knockdowns in the opening round.

Buntan rallied with sustained pressure and volume over the remaining rounds, but Hemetsberger weathered the storm to earn a unanimous decision. The victory made her Austria’s first ONE world champion and stopped Buntan from becoming a rare two-sport titleholder.

Buntan defends gold with history in the balance

Now under kickboxing rules, Buntan gets the chance to flip the script while protecting the belt she currently owns. The Boxing Works standout enters the rematch focused on adjustments, discipline and reasserting her authority as champion.

For Hemetsberger, the challenge is just as clear, as another win would confirm her breakthrough performance was no anomaly. Beating Buntan again would further elevate her standing among the division’s elite strikers.

Kingad returns with urgency against Hu Yong

Earlier on the card, Filipino fan favorite Danny “The King” Kingad finally shares the Circle with China’s Hu Yong in flyweight MMA action. Their matchup was originally set for 2023 before an injury forced Kingad out, turning anticipation into prolonged tension.

Kingad once surged through ONE Championship with a 9–1 run that included wins over Yuya Wakamatsu and Tatsumitsu Wada, establishing himself as a perennial contender. Recent losses to Wakamatsu and Adriano Moraes, however, have pushed the 30-year-old into a pivotal moment.

Hu Yong brings knockout power and momentum, making the bout a dangerous test for the Lions Nation MMA veteran. For Kingad, the fight represents a chance to silence doubts and reinsert himself into the flyweight title conversation.

With a championship defense at the top and a career-defining crossroads bout on the undercard, ONE Fight Night 40 shapes up as a decisive night inside one of combat sports’ most iconic venues.