Although the ONE Atomweight Grand Prix had to be postponed earlier this year, things are getting a little spicy as the top contenders eye a future ONE Atomweight World Championship shot against “Unstoppable” Angela Lee.
Angela Lee and Denice Zamboanga Exchange Shots
The reigning queen of the atomweights gave her response to top contenders Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga and Meng Bo in a tweet posted by ONE Championship.
Whose side are YOU on?
@angelaleemma #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/C72b0RrCvG
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) July 7, 2021
In the short clip, Lee says, “It’s not personal for me. I really don’t care what Denice or Meng Bo has to say. I think they’re just trying to, you know, stir up some drama just to make things more interesting. And I’m not about that.”
If that was the intent from the #1-ranked contender, it was mission accomplished.
“The Menace” had a retort to the champ as she stated, “It’s funny because she said that it’s not personal, but she seems so affected, telling me that I’m entitled.”
The budding rivalry between top atomweights will have to wait for the conclusion of the tournament where Zamboanga must win it all to get her title shot. And it will not be an easy road.
In the first-round matchups that had been previously announced, the top-ranked contender was slated to welcome Seo Hee Ham to the ONE Circle. The South Korean has long been one of the world’s best atomweights and will be an immediate threat in the title picture.
The rest of the field includes the aforementioned Meng Bo, Stamp Fairtex, Itsuki Hirata, Alyse Anderson, and Alyona Rassohyna. Ritu Phogat was previously expected to compete, but after a close decision loss to Bi Nguyen, she was removed from the tournament.
When the ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix finally gets underway, it will mark the biggest and best atomweight tournament in history. It is a stacked field with a massive prize at the end of the tunnel as Lee awaits to defend her crown against the victor.
Should it be Zamboanga, she has no fear and fully expects to topple the queen. As for her statements, she was blunt in assuring the world it was not trash talk and just the fact of the matter.
“I don’t trash talk. I just do it,” says Zamboanga.
There is heat in the tournament and an exciting atomweight rivalry bubbling to the surface, making this a can’t-miss tournament.
