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Denice Zamboanga believes any martial artist can transition to MMA. 'The Menace' is a prime example, starting in karate before eventually moving to mixed martial arts, where she now reigns as the interim ONE atomweight MMA world champion.
Zamboanga claimed her first 26 pounds of gold at ONE 170, scoring an impressive second-round TKO against the returning Alyona Rassohyna.
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During a recent interview with ABN-CBS Sports, Zamboanga was adamant that anyone with enough drive can pursue MMA, regardless of what their base martial art is.
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"Actually, no matter what your background or base in martial arts, I think it doesn’t matter," she said. "I started out in karate, but my moves are not really karate. I think it’s really easy to transition to MMA no matter what base in martial arts you are from."
Watch the full interview:
Today, 'The Menace' is an impressive 12-2 in her MMA career and will have the chance to trade in her interim title for undisputed gold later this year when she meets the atomweight division's reigning queen, Stamp Fairtex.
Denice Zamboanga hopes to fight in the United States in 2025
With ONE Championship gold firmly wrapped around her waist and a guaranteed date with Stamp Fairtex later this year, 2025 is already shaping up to be a hell of a year for Denice Zamboanga.
But there's one more thing that could really put the cherry on top of a banner year for the Filipina fan favorite — fighting in the United States.
"Of course, I'll be grateful to fight in the U.S. because I haven't been there," Zamboanga said following her win at ONE 170. 'That will be amazing."
With ONE Championship currently scheduled to return to the U.S. on May 23 and Dec. 5, there's a very good chance we could see 'The Menace' compete on American soil for the first time.
Until then, if you missed any of the action at ONE 170: Tawanchai vs. Superbon II, you can catch the full replay on demand via watch.onefc.com.
