ONE Interim Atomweight MMA World Champion Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga will compete on the biggest stage and under the brightest lights when she unifies belts with her good friend and reigning queen Stamp Fairtex.
The two atomweights tangle in one of the featured bouts of ONE 173: Denver, which airs on August 2 from Ball Arena in Colorado. Zamboanga can’t be any more excited to represent the country in the promotion’s return to the United States.
“This upcoming fight against Stamp Fairtex in the United States is a dream come true for me. It’s not just a personal milestone but a significant moment for the Philippines,” she said.
“Representing my country on such a grand stage fills me with immense pride. I am ready to give my all and bring honor to our nation.”
It’s also fitting that Stamp and Zamboanga will meet in one of the promotion’s largest events of the year.
This fight has plenty of side stories to it, the biggest being their friendship. They bonded through their intense training sessions at Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand, when they were teammates.
They stayed close even after Zamboanga moved to Marrok Force MMA. Then she decided to head home to train at her brother Drex’s T-Rex MMA in the Philippines. After that, Zamboanga realized her dream of becoming a ONE World Champion when she won the interim strap earlier this year against Alyona Rassohyna.
The two fighters’ trajectory always seemed to be on a collision course, but fight postponements and injuries caused delays. It turned out to be for the better, as they’ll be taking their acts to the United States – one of the largest stages for MMA.
A win here for Zamboanga would also be massive for Philippine MMA, especially after Joshua Pacio’s conquest of Jarred Brooks last week for the undisputed ONE Strawweight MMA World Title. That means two Filipinos would have unified a major MMA World Title in a span of six months, making this a momentous bout for the country.
“Our journey from training partners to competitors adds a profound depth to this upcoming fight,” Zamboanga said.
“Outside the Circle, Stamp is a cherished friend, but come fight night, I’m prepared to showcase the evolution of ‘The Menace.’”
