Stamp Fairtex says no one close to her ‘expected’ her to return to fighting as a teen: “I just wanted to do it”

Thai superstar Stamp Fairtex nearly stopped her martial arts journey permanently. She, however, finally found her way back to it even if those close to her did not expect her to.

The Fairtex Training Center standout talked about in an interview with MMA legend Demetrious Johnson in his Mighty podcast, highlighting how she took a break of at least six years from doing martial arts before returning and never looking back from there.

She said:

"No one really expected me to come back and fight again. I just wanted to do it because I wanted to cut weight."

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Check out what she had to say below, beginning at 5:58:

Since returning and committing to taking her journey further, Stamp achieved considerable success, particularly in ONE Championship, her home for the last seven years.

She used to hold both the promotion's atomweight Muay Thai and kickboxing world titles simultaneously. Now, she is the reigning atomweight MMA world champion, becoming the first and only three-sport ONE title holder.

Stamp is set to make her return to action on Aug. 1 at ONE 173: Denver, where she will defend the atomweight MMA belt in a unification bout against interim world champion Denice Zamboanga of the Philippines.

Stamp says there is an abundance of topnotch female fighters in Thailand

Stamp Fairtex has had a lot of success in doing martial arts. She said though that a lot of female fighters could still follow in her footsteps in Thailand provided they receive the kind of opportunity she has been given.

She moved to highlight in the same interview on the Mighty podcast, saying:

"Me? No. I think a lot of fighters just don’t have the opportunity to come up. But everyone is good."

In ONE Championship, Stamp has compiled a 14-4 record since making her promotional debut in October 2018.

A knee injury, though, kept her out of competition for the entire of 2024 but is set to make her long-awaited return later this year.

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Michael Murillo is a journalist who covers basketball and MMA at Sportskeeda with over two decades of experience. Michael has contributed as a proofreader, columnist and journalist for the Philippine broadsheet BusinessWorld.

A graduate of the University of the Philippines with a degree in English Studies, basketball caught Michael's imagination from an early age. Varsity basketball helped Michael to express himself, and later, it opened doors into the world of journalism.

Michael has a particular admiration for the Phoenix Suns, inspired by Kevin Durant. Icons like Magic Johnson and modern legends like Durant have left an indelible mark on Michael for their revolutionary impact on the game.

Michael relies on the tried and tested method of thorough research to ensure accuracy in his content. He has interviewed multiple NBA players and officials with BusinessWorld, alongside athletes from various disciplines.

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Edited by C. Naik