Last Friday, January 10, Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga made history as the first-ever Filipina ONE World Champion when she dominated Alyona Rassohyna to claim the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title at ONE Fight Night 27: Tang vs. Abdullaev on Prime Video.
Denice Zamboanga ‘Very Speechless’ After Interim World Title Win At ONE Fight Night 27
The Filipina star was overcome with emotion following her TKO of Alyona Rassohyna last Friday.
That contest, which went down in front of a packed house at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, was a sensational showing from Zamboanga.
“The Menace” displayed a refined yet vicious boxing attack on the feet, as well as suffocating top control and savage ground-and-pound on the canvas en route to a TKO stoppage late in the second frame.
After her big win, the newly crowned interim atomweight MMA queen spoke to onefc.com about her title-clinching performance:
“For this fight, I was more comfortable with my striking, and also with my top game, and also my grappling skills…
“This is one of the best performances of my career.”
Now the proud owner of 26 pounds of gold, Zamboanga has secured a coveted World Title unification bout against reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion Stamp Fairtex, who was in attendance to watch her friend and former training partner claim the interim belt.
Well aware of the fame, acclaim, and massive opportunities that come along with being a ONE World Champion, Zamboanga admitted that the magnitude of the situation hadn’t quite hit her yet:
“I’m very speechless. Until now, I couldn’t get over that I took the belt, that I’m the champion. That is sinking into my head right now.”
After nine thrilling bouts in the world’s largest martial arts organization, the Filipina has finally accomplished her dream of holding a golden belt.
Ultimately, the 27-year-old is supremely grateful for the unending support from her friends, family, and fans:
“I want to thank all my fans for supporting me through my career. It really means [a lot] to me to have your support, guys. And also to my family who are with me right now, who flew here to Bangkok to watch and support me.”
‘That Would Be Amazing’ – Zamboanga Would Love To Compete In U.S.
Following her incredible victory over Alyona Rassohyna at ONE Fight Night 27, Denice Zamboanga can look forward to a crack at Stamp Fairtex.
The pair were originally slated to battle for Stamp’s gold last year, but a knee injury forced the Thai to withdraw.
Advertisement
While the stage is now set for a World Title unification showdown, Zamboanga said that if Stamp is unable to return soon, she’d be willing to fight another contender:
“[My next fight is] up to ONE Championship because I don’t think I have injuries after this, but yeah, it’s up to ONE Championship.”
Whether it’s against Stamp or another hungry atomweight MMA athlete, Zamboanga’s next appearance in ONE will be a can’t-miss event.
The organization has tentatively scheduled a pair of blockbuster shows on American soil in 2025, and “The Menace” said that she’d be excited to make her United States debut this year:
“Of course, I’d be grateful to fight in the U.S. because I haven’t been there. That would be amazing.”
Published At: