Stamp Fairtex survived the comeback. Now she wants the crown back.
The former three-sport ONE World Champion returned from a career-threatening knee injury last November against Kana Morimoto in atomweight kickboxing at ONE 173 inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.
The 28-year-old Thai megastar lost via unanimous decision but gained something more valuable than victory.
Her surgically repaired knee held up for nine minutes of elite competition, proving she could still hang among the best.
The torn meniscus in May 2024 destroyed everything. Camp preparation for Denice Zamboanga collapsed when Stamp’s knee gave out during training. Surgery followed, then rehab, then more setbacks when her recovery timeline betrayed her again.
She made the selfless decision to vacate the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title rather than hold the division hostage.
But validation tastes sweeter than any belt sometimes. Stamp entered 2026 healthy and hungry, ready to reclaim what she sacrificed for the greater good.
“I expect to be the best version of myself that I can possibly be,” she said. “My goal is to hunt for my title back.”
Stamp Fairtex maps out strategic path before title pursuit
Stamp Fairtex captured the sport’s most prized possession by finishing Ham Seo Hee at ONE Fight Night 14 in September 2023, becoming the first three-sport World Champion in ONE history.
The achievement felt monumental until injury erased it before her reign truly began.
Zamboanga now holds undisputed status after Stamp’s sacrifice allowed the atomweight MMA landscape to move forward. The Thai striker plans a full campaign designed to rebuild momentum and remind everyone why she became a three-sport queen in the first place.
She’s targeting three to four fights this year, though she admits she’s in no rush to dive straight back into World Title contention. Another striking bout would allow her to rebuild conditioning inside the environment where she first rose to prominence.
“For this year, whenever ONE gives me a date, I’m ready,” she said. “It might be another Muay Thai fight first to get my cardio and rhythm back in place.”
Vero caught Stamp’s attention as a potential opponent. The Myanmar striker’s aggressive style would provide exactly the test needed before transitioning back to MMA. Whether that matchup materializes or ONE fast-tracks her return remains unclear. But one truth stays crystal clear.
Stamp didn’t endure two years on the sidelines just to take things slowly. She’s approaching 2026 at full throttle to regain ONE gold.