Denice Zamboanga’s ONE Interim Atomweight Title Shot on Hold Due to Injury: What’s Next for the Filipina MMA Star?

Denice Zamboanga, the rising Filipina MMA star, has been forced to temporarily shelve her dream of winning the ONE Interim Atomweight World Title due to a recent hamstring injury. Zamboanga was set to challenge Ukraine’s Alyona Rassohyna in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 25: Nicolas vs. Eersel II, scheduled for October 5 at the famed Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. Unfortunately, this highly anticipated bout has been delayed as a result of Zamboanga’s injury.

The #2-ranked contender experienced a serious setback during a sparring session, where she heard a painful snap in her hamstring. Zamboanga shared her frustration, stating, “Unfortunately, during one of my sparring sessions, I heard a loud snap, and I knew right away that something was seriously wrong. It’s heartbreaking because I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for so long.”

Denice Zamboanga’s path to securing a major championship has been riddled with challenges. She was originally scheduled to face Stamp Fairtex for the ONE Atomweight World Title at ONE 166 in Qatar this past March. This matchup was later rescheduled to ONE 167 in June, only for it to be postponed again when Stamp suffered a torn meniscus shortly before the fight. Despite these delays, Zamboanga showcased her resilience by taking on Noelle “Lil Monkey” Grandjean in a replacement bout, where she secured a dominant victory and continued to make a strong case for a title shot.

With her current injury, Zamboanga will need one to two months of therapy before she can resume her training. Despite this setback, the 27-year-old remains optimistic about her future. “I’ve faced challenges before, and I’ll face them again. My dream of becoming a World Champion is still alive, and I won’t stop until I achieve it,” she affirmed.

Fans and MMA analysts eagerly await Zamboanga’s return to the octagon and hope that this temporary delay will only enhance her readiness and determination to secure the ONE Interim Atomweight World Title in the near future.