All news tagged DeniceZamboanga

Filipina MMA champion Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga has withdrawn from her scheduled ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship defense at ONE 173 on November 16 due to “medical reasons.”

Zamboanga was set to defend her title against Japan’s Ayaka Miura at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. 

"With a heavy heart, I need to share some difficult news… I was truly excited to defend my belt at ONE 173 against Ayaka. I know how strong and talented she is, and I was looking forward to testing myself against such a worthy challenger. This was a fight I have been preparing for and one I deeply wanted to give to the fans," she said.

Her withdrawal leaves former strawweight champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio as the sole Filipino representative on the card.

Zamboanga apologized to Ayaka and her sponsors in the same post, but vowed to return stronger, underscoring her love for the sport.

"This sport means everything to me, and I promise I am fully committed to coming back stronger. My passion for fighting has not changed, and I will continue to work hard so that I can once again represent ONE at the highest level when I return."

Pacio, 28, will move up in weight for a high-stakes challenge against local favorite Yuya Wakamatsu for the ONE Flyweight MMA World Championship.

Zamboanga’s absence marks a temporary setback after her recent title win and shifts the spotlight to Pacio’s quest to reclaim world title glory in Tokyo.

Japanese mixed martial artist Ayaka Miura is determined to make history when she challenges Filipina champion Denice Zamboanga for the ONE Atomweight MMA World Title at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on November 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

Fighting on home soil, Miura—known as “Zombie”—expressed her excitement and sense of purpose. 

“I’m truly happy to fight for a world title here in Japan, where I was born and raised. I believe there’s meaning behind being given this opportunity. I will become the first Japanese woman to win a ONE Championship belt, and I’ll do it right here in Japan,” she said.

Riding a five-match winning streak, with four first-round submissions, Miura is eager to seize this moment. “I wasn’t able to get the strawweight title before, but this time, I’ll get what I left behind. I’ll prove the strength of Japanese fighters by winning the belt on home soil.”

Miura acknowledged the challenge Zamboanga presents. 

“At first, I thought she was mainly a grappler, but her striking has really improved. Now I see her as a complete all-rounder, physically very strong. I believe Zamboanga will come in with a solid ground defense strategy and try to turn it into a striking battle. Whether it’s on the feet or on the ground—even if the fight gets messy—I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”

Zamboanga, on a four-fight winning streak herself, will look to defend her title as the card kicks off a night featuring four championship bouts. 

Also on the card, Filipino Joshua Pacio aims for the flyweight MMA world title against Japan’s Yuya Wakamatsu, while Oumar Kane meets Anatoly Malykhin for the heavyweight crown and Superbon faces Masaaki Noiri to unify the featherweight kickboxing championship.

ONE Atomweight MMA World Champion Denice Zamboanga defends her belt for the first time in this massive card for Philippine MMA — ONE 173, set for November 16 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Zamboanga will tackle a hostile environment as she battles the Japanese star and defends her strap against Ayaka Miura.

On the other hand, Miura will jumpstart her title reign chase against the red-hot Zamboanga, having won her last five fights in the most impressive fashion.

“The Menace” became the first Filipina to win a championship in a major MMA organization last January, and she wants nothing more than to be remembered as a fighting champion who never said no to a match.

That’s why, even though she’s eyeing a highly anticipated superfight with her good friend and highly popular atomweight star Stamp Fairtex, she’s not waiting around for her first defense.

"I believe God’s timing is always perfect, and I’m honored to defend this belt against Ayaka Miura in Japan. She’s one of the strongest grapplers in the atomweight division, and I’ve watched how relentless she is with her ground game. There’s still a long road ahead in my preparation, but I’m committed to putting in the work and showing up stronger than ever," Zamboanga said.

Two of the country's Filipina fighters secured victories in their fights this past weekend.

Muay Thai fighter Islay Erika Bomogao clinched her second win after winning a unanimous decision against her opponent, Chinese fighter Ran Longshu, at ONE Friday Fights 93 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday night, January 10.

In the opening round of their match, her Chinese opponent immediately showed aggression, but Bomogao showed her defense and immediately hit the Chinese fighter with a series of combo punches until she finally gained the advantage over her opponent.

With the win, Bomogao now has a 2-0 win-loss record.

Meanwhile, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga made history by defeating Ukrainian grappler Alyona Rassohyna via second-round technical knockout on Saturday, January 11, in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 27 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Zamboanga is now the first Filipina mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter to win the ONE Championship crown and an impressive win over the women’s MMA atomweight title.

To secure the victory, the 27-year-old Filipina fighter used her striking skills with well-aimed punches and good grappling defense to overcome Rassohyna, who tried to use her for Zamboanga.

The referee stopped the fight at 4:47 after Zamboanga landed elbows and ground and pound punches and was able to break through Rassohyna’s ankle lock attempt.

Zamboanga couldn't believe her victory, which she had been hoping for for years, and now her efforts have paid off.

“I’ve been aiming for this gold for years. I’m not here for short notice or something, I’ve made this from hard work, tears and everything. The delays and injuries, I’ve had a lot of injuries. Last two weeks ago I couldn’t move my left arm. But I didn’t want to cancel the fight because I know God will give me this belt. Thank you for giving me this opportunity,”  Zamboanga said. 

Because of her impressive win, she will now be able to fight for the unification bout against the regular champion of her division, Stamp Fairtex. 

“I really deserve to fight stamp because I proved it (in this fight) by finishing my opponent’,” Zamboanga added.