Denice Zamboanga Gets New Opponent At ONE 167 After Stamp Fairtex Withdrawal

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Earlier this week, ONE Championship revealed that ONE atomweight MMA World Champion Stamp Fairtex had to withdraw from next month's headliner against Denice Zamboanga due to an injury.

Despite that, the promotion announced that would-be World Title challenger Zamboanga has a new opponent. "The Menace" meets rising atomweight MMA star Noelle Grandjean at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II on Saturday, 8 June, inside Bangkok, Thailand's Impact Arena as Zamboanga looks to keep her #2-ranked contender status alive.

Zamboanga defeated Lin Heqin and Julie Mezabarba to earn the shot at her friend and former training partner Stamp in next month's main event. But that fell apart when the three-sport queen tore her meniscus, forcing her out of action after surgery this past Monday.

The Filipina opted to remain on ONE 167. And she'll now battle Grandjean in a tasty atomweight MMA tilt with plenty on the line. Zamboanga's skills have developed tenfold across her most recent outings, and making it three in a row over her newest adversary would certainly cement her positioning.

But for Grandjean, Stamp's fallout creates an opportunity of a lifetime. Should she conquer Zamboanga, it will put her into the World Title picture. The Thai-French fighter brings elite judo skills into the fold, which should certainly mesh well with Zamboanga's wrestling strengths.

The 28-year-old in Grandjean arrived in ONE as an unbeaten talent, but her career in the world's largest martial arts organization has struggled to gather the necessary momentum. She's had a mixed bag of outings across four bouts, going 2-2 overall.

Despite that, Grandjean dominated Lea Bivins in her promotional debut, stopping her with a brutal body punch inside the first frame at ONE on Prime Video 3. Her next victory then came against the gritty Brazilian Victoria Souza this past March at ONE Fight Night 20.

Grandjean dispatched Souza across three rounds before meeting another roadblock earlier this month at ONE Fight Night 22. But if history suggests anything, it's that Grandjean always responds emphatically to a setback. So a strong showing against Zamboanga could see her reap the rewards of a World Title opportunity.