Preview and prediction: Denice Zamboanga runs it back with Ham Seo Hee in atomweight world title eliminator at ONE X

ONE X fans love a good storyline and the one that Denice Zamboanga and Ham Seo Hee have laid out for us is as intense as it gets.

The two first met in the quarterfinal round of the prestigious ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix, where they fought to a close but controversial split decision. Fans were in a dilemma as to who won the razor thin contest.

But now that Zamboanga and Ham meet again at ONE X this Saturday, March 26, we will finally determine who the better fighter truly is.

Here’s what the members of Sportskeeda MMA's ONE Championship team think will happen.

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Ben Imperial: Denice Zamboanga via second-round submission at ONE X

It’s the revenge fight! I am of the opinion that Denice Zamboanga should have won their first meeting, however, it’s spilt milk. I believe that Denice knows that she is as much to blame as anyone for the loss and will stop at nothing to get the win back. She wants Angela Lee, she practically got her, but now she has to prove that she deserves to stand in the circle with her. Beating Ham is a good first step considering her skill level.

This is not going to be an easy fight. As much as Denice would want to finish early, Ham is too experienced to just fall prey to Denice's hunger. Still, I’m going to bank on a Zamboanga submission in the second round to set the stage for her to call out Angela Lee no matter the outcome of the main event.

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Vince Richards: Denice Zamboanga by split decision at ONE X

Denice Zamboanga has a bone to pick with Ham Seo Hee and this is a fight she needs to win at this week's ONE X event if she wants to get back to the top of the atomweight rankings.

Ham collected a split decision victory, albeit a controversial one, against Zamboanga at ONE: Empower, so expect this result to fully linger in the Filipino’s mindset.

Expect Ham to use her grappling once more to subdue Zamboanga and if she does that then it’s all in the bag for the South Korean. Zamboanga, meanwhile, has to keep her emotions in check and use her versatility and striking to keep Ham, a known ring technician, off her game.

This is a fight that could very well need the judges’ scorecards once again.

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James de Rozario: Ham Seo Hee stops Denice Zamboanga in round two at ONE X

Both warriors are determined to settle the controversial outcome of the first match and that would leave fans with possibly a Fight of the Night contender from a super-stacked ONE X card.

As seen in the first match, both athletes are pretty much equal in all departments of their game. Zamboanga can out-trick the South Korean fighter on the canvas while Ham can puzzle her rival out on the feet.

I see Zamboanga sprinting out of her corner trying to crack through Ham’s defense from the opening bell, which however, could prove to be her downfall.

Ham will stay patient and connect with a couple of strikes that could send the young atomweight star to the canvas. The 35-year-old veteran will then try to get hold of her rival on the ground and unload a plethora of strikes from the top mount.

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Atilano Diaz: Denice Zamboanga by hard-fought unanimous decision at ONE X

I spoke extensively with Denice Zamboanga in the aftermath of her controversial split decision loss to Ham Seo Hee last September and there was one thing that stood out in our conversations. She admitted to being fearful of Ham entering that fight.

Ham was the dark horse of the tournament and one who many people thought was a shoe-in to take the whole thing. Zamboanga, on the other hand, wondered why she was getting such a tough opponent in the first round. It was that self-doubt that held the Filipina back, particularly in the early stages of the match.

After the fight, she told me that the self-doubt was no more and that she was going to be a different animal in the rematch.

That being said, Ham is 35 years old and has seen it all. Not much will change with her game plan and output heading into this fight. Conversely, Zamboanga is an entire decade younger and is only getting better.

Ham is tough and she’ll last the full three rounds, but Zamboanga will have all the bases covered this time for a unanimous victory on the scorecards.

Final Tally: Denice Zamboanga 3, Ham Seo Hee 1