Denice Zamboanga didn’t expect to become ONE Championship’s undisputed atomweight MMA queen this way – but she’s ready to own it.
With Stamp Fairtex sidelined indefinitely due to injury, Zamboanga has been elevated to full champion status. And now, “The Menace” is eager to prove she belongs at the top.
“I’m not sure, it all depends on ONE Championship,” Zamboanga told the Bangkok Post. “But hopefully I can defend the belt this year against another challenger. So I can still stay active because we can fight Stamp whenever she is ready.”
Her top pick for that next challenge? Japan’s Ayaka Miura.
“Ayaka Miura is the most active in our division,” Zamboanga said. “She has won every single match she’s had recently. So I think she deserves more to fight with the champion.”
Zamboanga knows that Miura’s grappling-heavy style will pose problems – especially the infamous “Ayaka Lock” scarf hold submission, which has become a signature move. But she welcomes the threat.
“Since Ayaka is very active, I think that’s one of her advantages,” she said. “For me, it’s a challenge, because we are both grapplers – but at the same time she knows how to handle a fighter like me. So I think it will be a big challenge for me.
“I think I will do everything so she doesn’t have the distance to do her favorite submission, the Ayaka Lock. I will do everything to defend that.”
Miura isn’t the only name in the mix. South Korea’s Ham Seo Hee – who holds two decision wins over Zamboanga from 2021 and 2022 – is also in the conversation. But Zamboanga believes the timing isn’t quite right.
“It doesn’t matter if I fight with Ham Seo Hee, but I think she needs one more fight to get back her momentum,” Zamboanga said. “But yeah, I’m happy to face Ayaka.”
Ham has not fought since losing to Stamp Fairtex via third-round TKO in September 2023. That bout, for the vacant title, marked Stamp’s rise to the throne before a knee injury forced her out and opened the door for Zamboanga to be promoted to undisputed champion.
If the Ham rematch does materialise, Zamboanga promises it won’t be the same story.
“That was a long time ago,” she said. “The Denice that Ham fought last time is a different Denice that you’re talking to now.
“If I’m gonna face Ham it will be a totally different fight. So I don’t care if I face her. But that Denice she fought before is not the Denice she will face when we fight.
“Now I’m very careful what game plan I should do in my fights – unlike before. The game plan was not very clear. So now every training that I’m doing is really important.”
Still, nothing would mean more to Zamboanga than defending her belt in front of her compatriots.
Zamboanga now shares the spotlight with fellow Filipino Joshua Pacio, who became the undisputed ONE strawweight MMA world title in March.
“It’s been the first time that we have both a female and male champion at the same time – can we do that? ONE Championship in Manila again,” Zamboanga said, lighting up.
“The Filipino fans are crazy, they’re different. I hate requesting because I don’t think I have the position to do so. But hopefully ONE Championship sees this and they make an event in the Philippines.
“Because a lot of Filipinos are asking when the event in Manila is going to happen. They are literally asking me every time they see me. They really want to see me fight here.”
If that happens, Zamboanga will be ready – for a dream homecoming, and the Ayaka Lock.
With Stamp Fairtex sidelined indefinitely due to injury, Zamboanga has been elevated to full champion status. And now, “The Menace” is eager to prove she belongs at the top.
“I’m not sure, it all depends on ONE Championship,” Zamboanga told the Bangkok Post. “But hopefully I can defend the belt this year against another challenger. So I can still stay active because we can fight Stamp whenever she is ready.”
Her top pick for that next challenge? Japan’s Ayaka Miura.
“Ayaka Miura is the most active in our division,” Zamboanga said. “She has won every single match she’s had recently. So I think she deserves more to fight with the champion.”
Zamboanga knows that Miura’s grappling-heavy style will pose problems – especially the infamous “Ayaka Lock” scarf hold submission, which has become a signature move. But she welcomes the threat.
“Since Ayaka is very active, I think that’s one of her advantages,” she said. “For me, it’s a challenge, because we are both grapplers – but at the same time she knows how to handle a fighter like me. So I think it will be a big challenge for me.
“I think I will do everything so she doesn’t have the distance to do her favorite submission, the Ayaka Lock. I will do everything to defend that.”
Miura isn’t the only name in the mix. South Korea’s Ham Seo Hee – who holds two decision wins over Zamboanga from 2021 and 2022 – is also in the conversation. But Zamboanga believes the timing isn’t quite right.
“It doesn’t matter if I fight with Ham Seo Hee, but I think she needs one more fight to get back her momentum,” Zamboanga said. “But yeah, I’m happy to face Ayaka.”
Ham has not fought since losing to Stamp Fairtex via third-round TKO in September 2023. That bout, for the vacant title, marked Stamp’s rise to the throne before a knee injury forced her out and opened the door for Zamboanga to be promoted to undisputed champion.
If the Ham rematch does materialise, Zamboanga promises it won’t be the same story.
“That was a long time ago,” she said. “The Denice that Ham fought last time is a different Denice that you’re talking to now.
“If I’m gonna face Ham it will be a totally different fight. So I don’t care if I face her. But that Denice she fought before is not the Denice she will face when we fight.
“Now I’m very careful what game plan I should do in my fights – unlike before. The game plan was not very clear. So now every training that I’m doing is really important.”
Still, nothing would mean more to Zamboanga than defending her belt in front of her compatriots.
Zamboanga now shares the spotlight with fellow Filipino Joshua Pacio, who became the undisputed ONE strawweight MMA world title in March.
“It’s been the first time that we have both a female and male champion at the same time – can we do that? ONE Championship in Manila again,” Zamboanga said, lighting up.
“The Filipino fans are crazy, they’re different. I hate requesting because I don’t think I have the position to do so. But hopefully ONE Championship sees this and they make an event in the Philippines.
“Because a lot of Filipinos are asking when the event in Manila is going to happen. They are literally asking me every time they see me. They really want to see me fight here.”
If that happens, Zamboanga will be ready – for a dream homecoming, and the Ayaka Lock.
