Denice Zamboanga Vacates ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship To Embrace Motherhood
Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga‘s reign as ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion has come to an end. The Filipino superstar announced that she is relinquishing the 26 pounds of gold after welcoming a baby with her husband Fritz “Kid Tornado” Biagtan.
In a heartfelt post on her social media accounts, Zamboanga revealed her decision to step away from competition to embrace motherhood, unwilling to hold up a weight class she worked so hard to reach the top of.
She wrote:
“God has always had a beautiful plan for my life, and I trust His timing in everything. After much prayer and reflection, I have made the difficult decision to vacate my ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship.
“This was not an easy choice, but I believe it is the right one for this season of my life and for the athletes in my division who continue to chase their dreams.”
For the Filipina, this is not a farewell but a pause, with her focus firmly on the most rewarding journey of her life.
Zamboanga plans to return to MMA competition at some point in the future. But for now, she is placing her full attention on raising her child.
She added:
“While I am stepping away from the title, I am not stepping away from the sport I love. Fighting has shaped who I am, and the warrior in me will always remain.
“Right now, my heart and focus are devoted to the greatest blessing God has entrusted to me. This season is teaching me that there are victories beyond championship belts, and I am embracing every moment of it with gratitude.”
Zamboanga Etched Her Name In Philippine Martial Arts History
The moment Denice Zamboanga first wore ONE Championship gold, she broke new ground as her nation’s first-ever female MMA World Champion and secured her place in Philippine martial arts history.
Zamboanga joined the proud lineage of Filipino warriors on ONE’s global stage in 2019 and wasted no time. She defeated Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan in her promotional debut, outclassed Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi by decision, and then submitted Watsapinya “Dream Girl” Kaewkhong in 88 seconds. Three straight victories announced her as a genuine force in the women’s atomweight division.
The road to the gold, however, was far from straightforward. Zamboanga suffered back-to-back defeats to South Korea’s Ham Seo Hee at ONE: Empower in 2021 and ONE X in 2022. Rather than fold, she went back to the drawing board. She sharpened her striking, tightened her ground game, and returned as a more complete MMA fighter.
The results spoke for themselves. Zamboanga reeled off three consecutive wins over “MMA Sister” Lin Heqin, Julie Mezabarba, and Noelle “Lil’ Monkey” Grandjean, each performance more assured than the last. That run earned her a shot at the coveted ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title.
But with divisional queen and former teammate Stamp Fairtex recovering from a torn meniscus, “The Menace” instead vied for the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship against Ukraine’s Alyona Rassohyna at ONE Fight Night 27 in January 2025.
A testy opening round gave way to a dominant second, where Zamboanga’s relentless barrage of elbows and hammerfists sealed the finish. The victory earned her the interim belt, a US$50,000 performance bonus, and her place in the record books as the first Filipina to win an MMA World Title. Four months later, Stamp faced a setback in her recovery and relinquished the gold, elevating “The Menace” to undisputed ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion.
The Filipina was slated to make her first World Title defense against Japan’s Ayaka “Zombie” Miura at ONE 173 in Tokyo last November, but she withdrew from the contest due to medical reasons. The relinquishment of her belt has since shed light on why.
For now, she steps away from the atomweight throne to embrace an even greater title, having brought new life into the world. When the time is right, martial arts glory will be waiting once again.
What remains unchanged is the history she made for the Philippines, built across a 12-2 professional career with seven wins inside the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Stay tuned to onefc.com for more news about the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title.
