"It's business" - Debutant Marie McManamon shows respect, but plans to dethrone Allycia Hellen Rodrigues in Bangkok

ONE Championship debutant Marie McManamon respects ONE women's atomweight Muay Thai world champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues and her striking abilities.

However, she will put such niceties aside when she challenges her for the crown at ONE Fight Night 29 on Friday, March 7.

Hours away from their world title tilt at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, McManamon spoke with ONE and said:

"Rodrigues is strong. Good boxing. Good clinch. She's tough. She comes from a good, good gym. Good coach. Again, massive respect for her. But inside the ring, it's different. It's business. I fight to do my best, and I know I can do that. That's all I can do."

While the gym that Rodrigues represents, Phuket Fight Club, has produced some dangerous strikers, Marie McManamon is also the product of a world-renowned gym — The Knowlesy Academy.

Most ONE fans are familiar with the gym because of its affiliation with ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion Jonathan Haggerty and his rising star brother, Freddie Haggerty.

With the Roar Fighting Championship and Victory League champion having the benefit of experience plus the guidance of one of the best Muay Thai gyms in the United Kingdom, McManamon is primed to produce the upset of the year.

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Marie McManamon already feels right at home in ONE Championship

Most Muay Thai fighters had an adjustment period when coming to ONE owing to the promotion's use of the four-ounce gloves, but Marie McManamon feels as if she was destined to be here.

Speaking with combat sports journalist Nick Atkin, the Irish-English standout stated:

"Yeah, I feel like it is another level, but it's where I belong. It's another challenge. It's different gloves, and, yeah, fighting against the best in the world. And I do feel like I belong there."

ONE Fight Night 29 will air live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.