As the reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion, there is only one thing for Stamp Fairtex to do now: pursue a third World Title.
Stamp will take on Bi Nguyen on 8 November at ONE: MASTERS OF FATE in an atomweight mixed martial arts bout. The event takes place from the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.
The 22-year-old Stamp made history when she became the first-ever two-sport World Champion for ONE. She picked up her second mixed martial arts victory this past August at ONE: DREAMS OF GOLD by submitting Asha Roka in the third round.
ONE executive, Rich Franklin, first discovered what Stamp could do while scouting for his show, Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series.
“We traveled to Bangkok and while watching tryouts, you hear this (sound),” Franklin said.
“I look over and this girl caught my eye. We now call that the Stamp effect. When you see an athlete like Stamp, you know right away that she is special. She has not let any of the success she has had get to her heard and change her at her core.”
Stamp made her martial arts debut in 2018 on ONE Warrior Series 2, earning a knockout victory over Rashi Shinde in just 19 seconds. Not long after, Stamp graduated from OWS and earned a spot on the ONE Championship main roster. A few months later at ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES, she ended the title reign of Chuang Kai Ting to claim her first World Title in kickboxing.
In 2019, Stamp added her Muay Thai belt to her waist with a decision victory over Janet Todd, defending that title over Alma Juniku this past June. All of this from an athlete who was never really sure sports were her ultimate career path.
“Back when I was a freshman in University, I did not want to compete anymore,” Fairtex said.
“I wanted to stop Muay Thai in order to focus on my studies. Until one day a trainer from Fairtex called me. He asked me if I wanted to come to Fairtex and train. When the chance was given, I grabbed it.
“After I joined Fairtex and ONE Championship, I knew for sure I could build a career out of Muay Thai. When I got my kickboxing World Title, I was so proud that I could win it even though kickboxing was not my specialty. I was proud that I was able to do it for my family and make my parents proud. After becoming a World Champion in Muay Thai and kickboxing, I feel like I am on top of the world.”
Stamp comes from a family of athletes, which helped her begin training at five years old as a way to protect herself.
“My dad was a Muay Thai fighter,” she said.
“I lived in a Muay Thai training camp owned by my uncle. I wanted to train Muay Thai because I was bullied when I was little. I trained to defend myself.”
Now, she trains to become the most dominant athlete in the world in all disciplines.
ONE: MASTERS OF FATE features a bout between reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio and top contender Rene Catalan, along with a lightweight contest pitting former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang against Amarsanaa Tsogookhuu.
