ONE: Stamp Fairtex believes Bi Nguyen mapped out path to victory against Ritu Phogat
- Stamp Fairtex will battle once-beaten Indian wrestler Ritu Phogat in ONE atomweight grand prix final on December 3
- Thai striker studied Bi Nguyen’s defeat of Phogat ahead of fight, says ‘this is the opportunity I see’
Thai striking sensation Stamp Fairtex is gearing up for a December 3 fight with Ritu Phogat. The winner of the fight, which will go down in Singapore, will be crowned the ONE atomweight grand prix champion and receive a title shot against reigning atomweight queen Angela Lee in 2022.
The 24-year-old Thai (7-1) will have her hands full with “The Indian Tigress” Phogat (7-1), a Commonwealth Games wrestling champion who has dominated all but one of her opponents in MMA: Vietnamese-American striker Bi Nguyen.
Nguyen defeated Phogat by split decision in May. Phogat succeeded on a number of her patented takedowns, but Nguyen was able to rack up points by punishing the Indian star with strikes, even while stuck in unfavourable positions.
Stamp seems to recognise that Phogat could have some success controlling their fight with her wrestling, and believes Nguyen’s strategy could work well in such a situation.
“I was thinking, in that fight [with Nguyen], Ritu was trying to control the game, but even while she was trying to control the game, Bi Nguyen was throwing even more weapons on her for the whole fight,” Stamp told the Post this week. “That’s how Bi Nguyen won that fight.
“This is the opportunity that I see, and I think I can make it [happen], even if [Phogat] is controlling the fight.”
Stamp earned her spot in the atomweight grand prix final with a pair of impressive decision wins over Alyona Rassohyna and Julie Mezabarba. The Thai previously held the ONE atomweight kickboxing and MMA titles, and has her eyes on championship gold in MMA.
To achieve that feat, she’ll need to beat Phogat, whose road to the grand prix final led through Meng Bo and Jenelyn Olsim.
Stamp is confident she can make it happen – perhaps even by knockout.
Stamp responds to Conor McGregor supporting Ritu Phogat
“I see her strength is only her wrestling, but the rest she has got nothing at all,” Stamp said. “She’s got no punches, she has no kicking, she cannot do anything long range like what I have. So I will say she’s got nothing except her wrestling skills.
“I was thinking I’ve got a chance to knock her out, however, it’s going to depend on the game plan. But it might be that I’m the first person who knocks Ritu out with my skills.”
