“I had my first fight at around seven” - Stamp Fairtex looks back at the beginning of her fighting career

Stamp Fairtex reflected on the start of her combat sports journey.

Stamp, aged 27, has already solidified herself as a ONE Championship legend due to her highly credentialed resume - women's atomweight MMA world champion, women's atomweight MMA Grand Prix champion, and a former women's atomweight kickboxing and Muay Thai world champion.

The Thai megastar recently talked to Demetrious Johnson on 'MIGHTYcast' about the past and future of her fighting career. Stamp had this to say about having her first fight at seven years old:

"I started to learn at around five or six years old, and then I had my first fight at around seven. And then I kept fighting until I was 10, 11, or 12, and then I stopped. Because everyone thinks I’m really small."

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Stamp Fairtex started fighting at the age of seven and stopped at 12. She considered other career paths while growing up before returning to combat sports at 18, solidifying her love for martial arts.

Watch Stamp's entire appearance on MIGHTYcast below:

Stamp Fairtex talks about Rich Franklin signing her to ONE Championship

Stamp Fairtex made her ONE Championship debut in July 2018, defeating Rashi Shinde with a 19-second knockout. During the previously mentioned interview with Demetrious Johnson, Stamp revealed what led to her signing with ONE:

"I got that opportunity because Rich Franklin was looking for a fighter from every country. Then I went, and I remembered I kicked the pads really loud, really hard. Everyone stopped and looked at me, like “who is this?”

Stamp followed up by saying:

"And he said he wants me to join ONE Championship through the ONE Warrior Series because I can learn about BJJ and MMA more. Then, in my first fight in the ONE Warrior Series, I kicked my opponent’s head, and that match lasted 19 seconds."

Stamp Fairtex was sidelined for most of 2024 due to a torn MCL. On August 1, the Thai megastar will make her highly anticipated return in the ONE 173 main event, which goes down inside the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

Stamp has an opportunity to regain undisputed world champion status in the women's atomweight MMA division against her close friend and former training partner, interim title holder Denice Zamboanga.

About the author

Jake Foley is a journalist at Sportskeeda, specializing in covering all forms of combat sports, including MMA, Boxing, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai. His passion is ignited by the exceptional fusion of physical and mental skills demanded by world-class fighters in these sports. Jake is captivated by the intricate mix of fierce determination and a modest mindset exhibited by athletes in these disciplines. He also finds the atmosphere of major championships, like the epic clash between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, truly unparalleled.

Jake has earned his UFC credentials to cover the major events for Sportskeeda and has conducted several interviews.

Jake supports various teams across several professional sports, including the Las Vegas Raiders, Inter Miami, Norwich City, Miami Marlins, and Las Vegas Golden Knights. The sports moment Jake will never forget is Jon Jones dismantling Vladimir Matyushenko.

Since joining the SportsKeeda team, Jake has written 400 articles covering several MMA promotions, including the UFC and ONE Championship. He continues to work hard to maintain his journalistic integrity and tell the stories of fighters worldwide.

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Edited by C. Naik