Stamp sends ‘dearest friend’ Denice Zamboanga her well wishes after impressive showing against Noelle Grandjean

Current atomweight MMA world champion Stamp Fairtex congratulated top-five-ranked contender Denice Zamboanga on her big in at ONE 167.

Emanating from the sold-out Impact Arena in Bangkok, Zamboanga stepped inside the Circle for a short-notice showdown with Thai-French standout Noelle Grandjean. Originally, 'The Menance' was set to challenge Stamp for the atomweight crown, but an injury forced the Thai out of the title tilt, paving the way for Grandjean to step in and accept her second fight in the span of four weeks.

Despite stepping in on just two weeks' notice, Grandjean gave it everything she had, taking Zamboanga to the limit. However, it was the streaking Filipina who came out on top, improving her overall record to 11-2.

During an interview with ABS-CBN News, Stamp Fairtex sent a word of encouragement to Denice Zamboanga, saying:

"Congratulations to you my dearest friend. At first, I thought this fight would end with a knockout because Denice has been training for quite a long time."

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Denice Zamboanga welcomes trilogy fight with Ham Seo Hee for interim atomweight title

With her victory over Noelle Grandjean in The Land of Smiles, Denice Zamboanga has solidified herself as the next woman in line to challenge Stamp for the atomweight MMA belt.

As it stands, she is ranked No. 2 in the weight class, one spot behind top contender Ham Seo Hee.

Zamboanga is all too familiar with Ham, having stepped inside the Circle with her on two separate occasions, losing both bouts in the process. Still, that wouldn't stop 'The Menace' from welcoming a trilogy fight with the South Korean star—so long as it includes an opportunity to take home an interim atomweight title.

"For me, I already accepted for what had happened," Zamboanga said of her two fights Ham during an interview with the South China Morning Post. "But if we have a chance to face each other for the [interim] championship, I'm ready for it."

If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE 167 replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.