April 18 ------ Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga will have to show up at her absolute best if she wants to become the first Filipina MMA world champion. But to make history, Zamboanga has to go through reigning ONE Atomweight MMA world champion Stamp Fairtex. They tangle in the main event of ONE 167 on 8 June inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Former two-time ONE Lightweight MMA world champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang has been on her side of the fence before, and he’s confident that with Zamboanga’s tight-knit circle training her, and a strong belief in God, an upset could be imminent. “One good thing about Denice is that she’s surrounded herself with the right people to get that belt. That will help her a lot,” he said, referring to Zamboanga’s brother Drex, and her fiance Fritz Biagtan. “For as long as she keeps her faith that God will give her the strength to win, and she comes in with a solid preparation, she’ll have her shot.”
It’s no secret as to what Zamboanga will try to do when the first bell rings. Facing one of the most decorated strikers to ever transition to MMA, Zamboanga won’t want to trade with the charismatic Thai. Many expect her to turn the fight into a grind – Folayang included. But knowing what to expect and having the perfect game plan to solve it are two different things, and that’s where Zamboanga’s camp will be crucial. “A few things I’m looking at in this match for Denice is her wrestling and ground game against Stamp,” Folayang said. “It will all boil down to formulating a good game plan entering this fight. They already know that Stamp’s a proven striker, so it’s all about formulating counters for her strengths.” he added.
With history within reach for Zamboanga, Folayang urges her to seize the day and write her name in the lore of Philippine MMA. “It would be a huge honor for the Philippines if Denice wins the World Championship,” he said. “It will be historic. For sure she'll inspire a lot of women to follow in her footsteps.”
Source: spin.ph
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