More Than A Striker: Reliving Stamp Fairtex’s Magical Run In MMA Ahead Of Historic World Title Shot

Thai megastar Stamp Fairtex will soon have the opportunity to achieve unparalleled greatness and become the first three-sport World Champion in ONE history.

On September 29 in the main event of ONE Fight Night 14 on Prime Video, the 25-year-old phenom will return to the Singapore Indoor Stadium to battle South Korean veteran Ham Seo Hee for the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title in U.S. primetime.

And after previously holding World Titles in both kickboxing and Muay Thai, Stamp could establish herself as one of the greatest combat sports athletes ever by adding mixed martial arts gold to her trophy case.

Originally a decorated Muay Thai striker, the Fairtex Training Center representative has evolved her MMA skill set by leaps and bounds over the past several years.

Ahead of her highly anticipated showdown with Ham, we look back at Stamp’s memorable run in the all-around sport.

A Highlight-Reel Debut

Already a veteran of more than 70 professional striking bouts, Stamp made her mixed martial arts debut in July 2018 in Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series – and it was simply unforgettable.

Squaring off with Indian rising star Rashi Shinde, the young Thai needed less than 20 seconds to land a devastating head kick and start her MMA career in brutal fashion.

Stamp had officially arrived in her new sport – and the victory earned her a contract to compete on ONE Championship’s global platform.

Gains Momentum On The Global Stage

After her spectacular MMA debut, Stamp would go on a three-fight run that saw her capture the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Titles to firmly cement herself as one the best pound-for-pound strikers on the planet.

Never one to rest on her laurels, she returned to mixed martial arts in August 2019 and shocked fans around the globe with a submission victory over Asha Roka. Clearly, the Muay Thai and kickboxing star was much more than just a stand-up specialist.

Stamp would reel off three more impressive MMA wins over the next year, all while still competing in Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Title bouts.

Her momentum would briefly stall in February 2021, though, when she suffered her first mixed martial arts defeat – a last-minute submission loss to Ukrainian ground specialist Alyona Rassohyna.

Captures The Grand Prix Silver Belt

Stamp’s stay in the losing column would prove to be short-lived. 

Seven months later in the ONE Atomweight MMA World Grand Prix quarterfinals, she exacted revenge on Rassohyna with a decision victory, showcasing an evolved tactical awareness and improvements to her ground game that indicated she was ready to compete at the elite level.

In the tournament semifinals, Stamp earned a hard-fought win over Brazilian scrapper Julie Mezabarba.

Then in December 2021 at ONE: WINTER WARRIORS, she picked up the biggest and most stunning win of her MMA career in the World Grand Prix Championship Final. Incredibly, the Thai submitted Indian wrestling sensation Ritu Phogat with an armbar to capture the prestigious silver belt and earn a crack at the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title.

If there were any doubts about Stamp’s evolution into a complete mixed martial artist, none remained by this time.

Falls Just Short In First World Title Shot

The Thai superstar competed in the most important match of her MMA career to date when she challenged longtime ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion Angela Lee at ONE X in March 2022.

Stamp came out guns blazing, attacking the titleholder with ruthless strikes early and seemingly on the precipice of a first-round knockout.

But the tables turned in the second frame, as Lee was able to secure a fight-ending rear-naked choke on the ground.

Despite Stamp’s defeat, the wild back-and-forth war undoubtedly garnered her countless new fans. To that end, the clash was recognized as ONE’s 2022 MMA Fight of the Year.

Fights Back To The Top

Since then, the 25-year-old has remained busy, returning to action with a pair of MMA victories and a kickboxing win.

Last September, Stamp displayed a devastating ground-and-pound attack – and a memorable elbow – during a dominant decision victory over Jihin Radzuan.

And most recently, at ONE’s blockbuster debut on American soil, Stamp took out American star Alyse Anderson with a crushing body kick knockout, reminding fans and the rest of the atomweight MMA division that she is a supremely dangerous striker.

That victory cemented her status as the division’s #1-ranked contender and secured her crack at three-sport glory against #2-ranked Ham on September 29.

Source