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| From just witnessing Filipino fighters' championship glory at the bleachers, Denice Zamboanga is now a ONE Championship champ herself. ONE Championship (file photo) |
MANILA––Even to this day, ONE atomweight MMA world champion Denice "The Menace" Zamboanga is still in disbelief that she can already align her name among some of her MMA heroes.
After being just a fan nearly a decade ago when some of the biggest stars of Team Lakay were winning titles left and right, Zamboanga can now put her name alongside Eduard Folayang’s and Joshua Pacio’s after making history as the first Filipina MMA World Champion.
"I'm grateful, and I still can't believe that I am now the undisputed champion of our division because we have been waiting for this for so long," she said.
"I feel blessed to make history like this for our country."
But she's not satisfied putting her name among some of the best mixed martial artists in the country to ever do it.
Zamboanga is embracing the responsibility of being a champion and serving as an inspiration to all the young women who want to follow in her footsteps.
"Hearing that I'm the first Filipina champion warms my heart. I want to use this title to inspire other women and aspiring MMA fighters in the Philippines, to show them that no matter the adversity, they should keep pushing until they reach their dreams," she said.
Now, the first order of duty for Zamboanga is to defend her title, as an official defense would further solidify her status as lineal queen.
She already has a deserving opponent in mind for her first title defense.
"I think the one next in line after Stamp in the rankings is Ayaka Miura,” she said.
“She's been active in our division and is on a solid winning streak."
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