Stella Hemetsberger’s journey from a curious 13-year-old in Salzburg to Austria’s most promising Muay Thai export is rooted in the simple values her hardworking parents instilled: discipline and perseverance. Growing up in a stable household where her father worked at a local office and her mother built a career in sales, Hemetsberger was free to explore her athletic interests across gymnastics, football, climbing, hiking, and skiing.
Her discovery of Muay Thai happened purely by chance in 2012 when she sought boxing lessons at RS-GYM, just 10 minutes from home. Under the tutelage of coaches Roland Schwarz and Christin Fiedler, the Austrian teenager found her calling immediately. She felt like she was picking up combinations, punches, and kicks naturally despite being a complete newcomer to the sport.
The early competitive years weren’t without struggle. Hemetsberger faced numerous losses against more experienced opponents in the amateur ranks, but rather than deterring her, these setbacks fueled her determination to train harder and improve. This persistence paid off spectacularly when she captured the WAKO K-1 Championship and claimed gold in the 60-kilogram division at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama.
Her Thailand training camps, beginning in 2018, created the perfect fusion of European technical precision with traditional Muay Thai intensity. This unique blend proved invaluable when she turned professional in 2022, compiling an impressive 5-1 record before catching the attention of ONE Championship.
In late 2024, Hemetsberger started competing at ONE Friday Fights inside Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium. The Austrian sensation rattled off three straight victories, capped by a first-round knockout of Vanessa Romanowski that earned her a US$100,000 contract and main roster spot.
Representing both RS-GYM Salzburg and Phuket Fight Club, Hemetsberger made history when she beat ONE Women’s Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Jackie Buntan for the division’s vacant Muay Thai belt in September 2025. In the process, she became Austria’s first ONE World Champion. In February 2026, she would defeat the American again to claim her kickboxing gold and become a two-sport queen.
