Natalie Salcedo knows exactly what it feels like to lose. She also knows that one setback does not have to define what comes next.
The 34-year-old American suffered the first defeat of her professional MMA career in her most recent appearance, falling to Japanese standout Chihiro Sawada by unanimous decision this past January.
Now, she is determined to show that result was an aberration when she returns against undefeated Polish sensation Magdalena “The Powerpuff Girl” Czaban in an atomweight MMA clash at ONE Fight Night 46 on Prime Video, which broadcasts live in U.S. primetime on Friday, August 14.
Salcedo has spent the months since her sophomore promotional appearance making the necessary adjustments to put her back on the winning track.
For the Warrior Fitness Center and Classic Fight Team representative, losing her perfect MMA record was disappointing. But after experiencing setbacks throughout her wider martial arts career, she understands that defeat can also be part of the growing process.
She said:
“It does suck because it was kind of cool to [stay undefeated]. But it is what it is. That was my first loss in MMA, both amateur and pro, but it’s not like I haven’t lost before.
“So, the idea of losing and then having to make adjustments and come back is not anything that’s new to me.”
Salcedo left the Sawada match feeling like she had not shown the full range of her striking.
The American credits the Japanese star for cleverly executing her game plan, but she believes that experience exposed specific areas in her game that needed some correction.
Rather than dwell on the loss, Salcedo has remained motivated, and she is focused on delivering a more complete performance against Czaban.
The Colorado Springs resident explained:
“I was kind of going into that fight thinking, ‘I haven’t really gotten to show my striking ability in a lot of these MMA fights.’ So, I was looking forward to that opportunity.
“But I think that in the fight itself, I still really didn’t get that opportunity – not that it wasn’t there. I just had a little trouble turning it on.”
Czaban arrives in ONE Championship with a perfect 4-0 professional record, a 100 percent finishing rate, and a decorated amateur résumé that includes IMMAF European and World Championships.
But those credentials are precisely why Salcedo likes this matchup. Beating an opponent carrying that kind of buzz would give the American an immediate opportunity to change the conversation surrounding her first MMA setback.
And while she respects Czaban’s accomplishments, the Colorado fighter believes the undefeated 26-year-old is far from untouchable.
She said:
“I do think she’s a good fight [for me]. She has a lot of hype behind her, so I think that a win against her is going to show people that the Chihiro loss is, like, a fluke. She’s new to ONE, but she does have a lot of experience, and she comes with a lot of credentials.
“There’s obviously holes in her game. There’s things that we can expose, and I think that in some ways, it might even be kind of to her detriment that she’s coming in with so many wins. She might come in a little bit cocky, and that could actually open up some opportunities instead.”
Salcedo Confident She Can Submit Czaban
Natalie Salcedo sees one particularly intriguing element in the matchup: Magdalena Czaban appears comfortable allowing fights to develop across every phase of MMA.
Salcedo has studied Czaban carefully, and what she has noticed is a fighter who seems equally at home whether the action stays on the feet or hits the canvas.
The American isn’t worried about that, however. She, too, is at ease in those situations. After all, she is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with legitimate Muay Thai competition experience, and unlike Sawada, Salcedo expects Czaban to be willing to engage with her in the grappling exchanges where she feels most comfortable.
The Colorado native said:
“A lot of [Czaban’s] strength probably comes from just her ability to scramble. She definitely seems like somebody that’s comfortable wherever the fight goes. She’s comfortable moving between striking, grappling, and then getting into some different scrambles, especially grappling.
“I do think it’s gonna be a really fun matchup for people to watch because I think we’re both very comfortable wherever the fight goes, and we’re not necessarily going to be running away from the fight.”
That confidence is backed by a lengthy camp in which Salcedo has worked on specific situations she expects to encounter against Czaban.
She believes those preparations will give her opportunities regardless of where the contest unfolds. And while the American is not promising a spectacular knockout, she is much more decisive about another potential ending.
Salcedo said:
“I’m pretty confident that in 15 minutes, I can find a place to finish her from. And, I mean, like most atomweight fights, I think it’s probably not going to be from a knockout or anything like that, but I definitely think that I can sub her.”