New ONE Women's Atomweight MMA World Champion Denice Zamboanga is determined to carry the torch for Filipino fighters in ONE Championship. More specifically, she wants to blaze a trail for the next generation of female athletes from her homeland.
The former interim queen was awarded the undisputed throne earlier this year when former titleholder Stamp Fairtex relinquished it due to injury, and she is eager to follow in the footsteps of Filipino ONE World Champions Eduard Folayang, Joshua Pacio, Honorio Banario, Geje Eustaquio, and Kevin Belingon.
"For this year, I want to fight at least once before the end of this year. But I want to defend this belt as soon as I can," Zamboanga said.
"Like, I want to defend it because I want to continue the legacy of the Filipino fighters, and I want the young Filipino female fighters to be inspired and develop themselves to become World Champions as well."
“The Menace's” mission extends beyond personal glory, as she hopes to see more women enter the world of combat sports and overcome the stereotypes that often surround them in the traditionally male-dominated disciplines.
The atomweight MMA queen is all too familiar with the preconceptions that female fighters face, but she believes the unique thrill of competition should push her contemporaries to continue to seek glory.
"Yeah, I love to see women fighting, especially here in MMA, because a lot of people say, 'Oh, you're a girl, I don't want to see you get punched in the face, you're so pretty. Maybe it's too dangerous for you,'" Zamboanga said.
"But the adrenaline going into the cage and fighting, it hits different."
