“A long way to go” - 'Wondergirl' Fairtex expects an arduous MMA journey

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'Wondergirl' Fairtex came out victorious in MMA debut [Credit: ONE Championship]
'Wondergirl' Fairtex came out victorious in MMA debut [Credit: ONE Championship]

Is there anything 'Wondergirl' Fairtex can’t do? The two-time Muay Thai national champion has forced her way into MMA superstardom after an incredible arm-bar submission over Zeba ‘Fighting Queen’ Bano at ONE 157 this past May.

Her versatility has been evidenced by her seamless transition into mixed martial arts. Despite winning her debut impressively, she admits she’s got "a long way to go."

Reflecting upon her recent victory, she told Sportskeeda MMA:

"I saw the opportunity [for the submission], and I took it. I told myself I would like to try it out. I want to prove to myself, most importantly, that I can grapple too and not just strike. I want to be good on the feet and on the ground. That being said, I still have a lot of things to improve on. It’s a long way to go."

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The 23 year-old phenom has already made a name for herself in the Muay Thai scene. She had back-to-back victories over KC Carlos and Brooke Farrell before she suffered her first loss against Jackie Buntan at ONE: Fists of Fury in 2021.

Wondergirl’s backstory is well-known among ONE fans. She has a younger sister, ‘Supergirl’ Jaroonsak, competing in ONE Championship under the striking-only ruleset. Her father and coach trained both girls at a very young age and at a time when it wasn’t culturally accepted for young girls to pursue fighting full-time.

Breaking the glass ceiling yet again, the Pattaya-native is ready for what comes ahead. Garnering thousands of new supporters and followers every day, Fairtex has expressed love for her fans and those closest to her.

She continued to say:

"We’re very happy that the people around us have kept sending us love and encouragement in our careers. Back then, no one agreed with us on taking this path. It was tough but we got through it."

Recap of Wondergirl Fairtex vs. Zeba Bano at ONE: 157

Wondergirl entered ONE 157 with a previous Muay Thai loss against Filipino-American strawweight Jackie Buntan, but that didn’t hinder her from stepping up her game against Indian rising star Zeba Bano.

Bano was undefeated and amassed a record of six consecutive victories before making her own promotional debut against the Muay Thai powerhouse.

Prior to the bout, the young superstar went on record to say she always wanted to pursue MMA but was considered too young for the endeavor.

Ready to tackle her first challenge, ‘Wondergirl’ is anxious to showcase her grappling skills on the world stage.

In the first round, she charged Bano with a flying knee that caught her in a clinch. Seconds later, the Pattaya phenom scored her first takedown and immediately looked for an arm bar submission.

After one minute and twenty-two seconds in the opening round, she valiantly tapped out the undefeated Zeba Bano.

Rewatch the arm-bar submission below:

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Edited by kennedyking2016
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