Thai megastar Stamp Fairtex will step back into the Circle for the first time in over two years when she battles Japanese striking veteran Kana Morimoto in an atomweight kickboxing tilt at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The former three-sport ONE Championship titleholder has completed her recovery from a torn meniscus injury that sidelined her since capturing the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship via third-round TKO over Ham Seo Hee in September 2023. The comeback carries special significance as Stamp fulfills her longtime dream of competing on her birthday while testing her surgically repaired knee against an elite opponent.
Thai Superstar Stamp Embraces Uncertainty Of Return Performance
Stamp acknowledged the mixture of excitement and nervousness accompanying her return to the Circle, expressing honest uncertainty about how her body will respond under championship-level competition. The Fairtex Training Center product understands that training and therapy cannot fully replicate the demands of actual combat.
“I feel excited, and also nervous. I won’t know the full extent of my body’s condition and capability until I actually step in to fight,” the 27-year-old Thai revealed.
The former atomweight kickboxing, Muay Thai, and MMA queen brings 14 ONE Championship victories and a four-bout winning streak into her comeback performance, though the extended layoff creates legitimate questions about ring rust and physical conditioning.
Stamp’s Grueling Recovery Process Tested Mental Fortitude
The Thai detailed the psychological toll of transitioning from elite athlete to rehabilitation patient, describing the daily struggle of replacing training sessions with physical therapy sessions. Stamp’s candid assessment reveals the mental strength required to overcome serious injury.
“This is my comeback fight after more than two years. The past two years were difficult. It changed my routine from training Muay Thai every day to doing physical therapy every day. Getting through each day felt like it required a lot of mental strength,” she said.
The torn meniscus injury forced Stamp to relinquish her title in May 2025 due to her inability to compete, marking a disappointing conclusion to her reign before fully recovering from the knee damage.
Birthday Celebration Motivates Immediate Return Request
Image Courtesy of ONE Championship.
Stamp wasted no time requesting her return to competition once medical professionals cleared her for full activity, specifically targeting the November 16th Tokyo card, which coincides with her birthday. The longtime dream of competing on her special day provided additional motivation throughout the rehabilitation process.
“The moment the doctor said, ‘Okay, your body is 100 percent, you can fight,’ I requested a fight right away. When the matchup for November 16 in Tokyo came up, I told the gym owner, Mr. Prem, ‘I want to fight!’ Because it happens to be my birthday, and I’ve always dreamed of fighting on my birthday,” Stamp stated.
The 33-year-old Morimoto provides a formidable test for the Thai megastar, as the Japanese striker brings her own experience and home crowd advantage into this atomweight kickboxing clash. ONE 173 takes place on Sunday, November 16, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.