Second-ranked women’s atomweight MMA contender Denice Zamboanga attained a landmark achievement in her career at ONE Fight Night 27 this past weekend.
The Filipino star scored a second-round TKO victory over fourth-ranked Alyona Rassohyna at the Saturday, 10th January, event inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium, to claim the stacked division’s interim World Title.
The gold strap is Zamboanga’s first in her five-year ONE Championship tenure, and winning it was the realization of a long-held dream for her.
“I'm very speechless,” she said in her post-fight interview.
“Until now, I couldn't get over that I took the belt, that I'm the champion. That is sinking in my head right now.”
With seven victories in nine outings, Zamboanga has long been established as a top name in ONE’s atomweight ranks. Her win last Saturday was undoubtedly her most significant to date – and not just because of the World Title that came with it.
The 27-year-old also earned the very first TKO stoppage of her ONE Championship career against Rassohyna, and she believes it shows that her talents have reached a new level.
“I guess yes because I had never finished my opponent by TKO while ranked and active, like the ranked fighters in our division,” Zamboanga beamed.
“Now, for this fight, I'm more comfortable with my striking and also with my top game and also my grappling skills.”
With interim gold around her waist, all of “The Menace’s” focus will now need to shift to unifying the coveted World Title.
That means finally facing off with her longtime friend, reigning divisional queen Stamp Fairtex.
The pair have been set for battle on three previous occasions in ONE Championship, with the most recent scheduled last June. That bout was called off after Stamp suffered a knee injury and was forced out of action indefinitely.
Zamboanga is hungry to take on the Thai sensation at her most competitive, so she is willing to sit on the sidelines until that day.
“Definitely Stamp. I'll wait for her,” the Filipina said.
“It's up to ONE Championship because I don't think I have [any] injuries after this. But yeah, it's up to ONE Championship.”
