A new atomweight queen will be crowned at ONE Fight Night 27 on Friday, January 10. As Stamp Fairtex remains sidelined due to injury, Denice Zamboanga and Alyona Rassohyna collide for the ONE Interim Atomweight MMA World Title. With Rassohyna’s two matches against Stamp at the forefront of her mind, Denice Zamboanga has been reviewing the tape to best prepare for the Ukrainian star.
Denice Zamboanga Goes Into Film Room to Prep
“In their fight, it was the first time I saw Stamp really struggle. I don’t think, before that, there was a fighter who really made it difficult for Stamp. It was only Alyona. I saw how well-rounded she is. She’s so unpredictable. There were a lot of unexpected moves, and that’s her strength,” Denice Zamboanga described to ONE.
Although Rassohyna has a solid ground attack, Zamboanga wants to test its strength in a high-pressure matchup. Rassohyna has only competed against Stamp in ONE Championship to date, an elite striker. Zamboanga is banking that she can control the action and win wherever the match takes place.
BREAKING 🚨 With Stamp sidelined due to injury, second-ranked contender Denice Zamboanga and fourth-ranked Alyona Rassohyna throw down for the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title on January 10 at ONE Fight Night 27 on @PrimeVideo! Who you got?#ONEFightNight27 |… pic.twitter.com/6q6VCedRba
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 15, 2024
“I want to test her grappling. I haven’t seen her face a pure grappler or wrestler, as she’s faced strikers. That’s why she always dominates the ground game. She hasn’t faced someone like me. I want to prove that I’m better than her on the ground. My wrestling and BJJ have always been improving. I have a team in jiu-jitsu that truly focuses on me, they’re really analyzing my moves, my strengths and weaknesses to really improve my ground game,” the Filipina stated.
Can Denice Zamboanga Continue Hot Streak?
Denice Zamboanga is on a three-match winning streak heading into the title tilt. “The Menace” has shown off her immense improvements in recent matches to become one of the top contenders in the division. The steady progression of the Filipina’s all-around game has been a focus for her, knowing all of the talented women in the division bring in unique skills.
“Being a well-rounded fighter is truly important in MMA. You can’t just focus on one thing. That’s why I’m so confident coming into every fight. I’m confident that I’ll get to finish her wherever it goes whether it be on the feet or on the ground,” the atomweight said.
The possibility of becoming a champion is a thrilling proposition for the Filipina. In part because it could begin the month with a bang shortly before her birthday. It could set the stage for a memorable year filled with many blessings.
“It’s going to be a big deal for me if I start the year with a win. I’m also gonna be celebrating my birthday this January as well, so I truly want to celebrate my birthday with a World Title,” Zamboanga commented.
Denice Zamboanga Had to Miss Festive Season Celebrations to Prepare for Fight
The title tilt is the culmination of the hard work the 27-year-old has put in throughout her career. It has also been filled with many sacrifices, especially for this contest. After missing many holiday functions, Zamboanga is using that as additional motivation to topple Rassohyna and set the stage for a unification bout with Stamp later in 2025.
“Of course, we all know that because of my training camp, I had to miss the holiday festivities, from Christmas to New Year’s celebrations. I can’t eat that much, so of course I want to start the year by celebrating. This year, I wish to start stronger. Maybe I’ll just vent my frustration on not being able to eat a lot and celebrate during the holidays with her,” Denice Zamboanga said.
ONE Fight Night 27 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, January 10. The action begins at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.
