“I focused on improving myself” – Denice Zamboanga says setbacks against Ham Seo Hee motivated her to get better

Second-ranked ONE Championship women’s atomweight MMA contender ‘The Menace’ Denice Zamboanga has been waiting a long time for her shot at the gold -- and now, it’s finally here.

The 27-year-old Quezon City, Philippines native was promised a crack at then-atomweight queen ‘Unstoppable’ Angela Lee in 2020. But a series of unfortunate events pushed that opportunity aside indefinitely.

Fast-forward to four years later, and Lee is retired from MMA and there is a new ONE women’s atomweight MMA world champion -- none other than Zamboanga’s close friend and former training partner, Stamp Fairtex.

Speaking to The MMA Superfan in a recent interview, Zamboanga says that although she was disheartened at being skipped over for a title shot in the past, the 27-year-old T-Rex MMA representative has been working on her skills and honing her craft all this time.

‘The Menace’ said:

“To be honest, yes I felt a bit discouraged at first. I was disappointed I didn’t get the title shot, and then I faced some setbacks. Then again, as I said, I didn’t even realize it’s been four years since. I just focused on improving myself.”

Now, the golden opportunity is finally on Zamboanga’s doorstep, and she is looking to capitalize on the chance for immortality in the world’s largest martial arts organization.

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‘The Menace’ Denice Zamboanga takes on Stamp Fairtex for ONE atomweight gold

27-year-old Filipina superstar ‘The Menace’ Denice Zamboanga finally gets her shot at the ONE women’s atomweight MMA world title when she climbs into the Circle for her next fight.

Zamboanga is set to face close friend and former training partner Stamp Fairtex for the chance to become the undisputed ONE women’s atomweight MMA world champion. The two lock horns at ONE 166: Qatar, when ONE Championship makes its highly anticipated return to the Middle East.

The event broadcasts live from the Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail on Friday, March 1.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live via global Pay-Per-View on watch.onefc.com. Visit ONE Championship’s official website for information on how to watch from your location.