ONE Championship: Noelle Grandjean replaces Stamp Fairtex as opponent to Denice Zamboanga in non-title bout at ONE 167
- It was announced on Tuesday that atomweight MMA champion Stamp had withdrawn after having to undergo knee surgery
- Frenchwoman Grandjean was called up at short notice and will fight Zamboanga in a non-title fight in Bangkok on June 7
Denice Zamboanga is about to face a totally different type of challenge to the one she has been preparing months for.
It was announced on Tuesday that Stamp Fairtex, whose atomweight MMA title Zamboanga was trying to challenge for in the headline bout at ONE 167, had undergone knee surgery and would be out of action for several months.
However, ONE Championship has wasted no time in finding a new opponent for the Filipina, lining up Noelle Grandjean at very short notice – the fight takes place at Impact Arena in Bangkok on June 7, barely two weeks away.
Grandjean, though, comes from a judo background, with a black belt and numerous competitive wins.
Stamp, on the other hand, comes from a Muay Thai background and is known for her striking game – she knocked out her past two opponents.
But besides having to adjust her preparations for the change of opponent, No 2-ranked Zamboanga will also have to deal with the disappointment of seeing another title shot fall through.
In 2020 she was promised a fight with then champion Angela Lee but it fell through when the Hawaiian became pregnant.
Zamboanga was then booked to face newly crowned champion Stamp at ONE 166 in Qatar earlier this year. That fight was postponed from March until June to allow both fighters to be the subject of a documentary during their preparations.
But Stamp’s injury has now put paid to that.
But though Zamboanga will be facing Grandjean in a non-title atomweight bout, she will need to defeat the Frenchwoman if she wants to eventually face Stamp in a title fight, with the Thai fighter expected to return before the end of the year.
Grandjean (5-2) has won two fights out of two since signing for ONE Championship in 2022 and this fight is an opportunity to break into the top five for the first time and potentially get into the title mix.
As Zamboanga v Stamp has been cancelled, the card at ONE 167 – which will be broadcast live on Prime Video in North America – has been reshuffled.
Topping the bill now is the featherweight Muay Thai title fight between champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai and fellow Thai challenger Jo Nattawut.
