“I Think I Could Have Focused Better” – Stamp Fairtex Regrets Mistakes Against Angela Lee At ONE X

Former two-sport ONE World Champion Stamp Fairtex’s transition from striking to MMA has been one of the smoothest adjustments in ONE Championship history. 

The fan-favourite has quickly become a stalwart member of the ONE women’s atomweight MMA division, and at ONE Fight Night 14 on Saturday, 30th September, she will attempt to clinch the division’s interim crown when she takes on Ham Seo Hee.

Before moving to mixed martial arts full-time, Stamp was a key figure in ONE’s Muay Thai and kickboxing ranks. The Thai superstar amassed World Titles in the atomweight divisions of both sports, but she soon recognised the opportunity that lay before her in MMA.

The all-encompassing sport is known around the world, and its stars have become household names – something that, traditionally, cannot be said for practitioners of the striking arts, so Stamp wanted to make the most of her skills for her and her family. 

Making such a significant change didn’t come easy, however, and the support from those closest to her proved vital to the transition.

“I got encouragement from people that surround me. They put their faith in me. When I feel nervous and afraid of my opponent, I’ll talk with my trainer,” Stamp said. 

“I ask, ‘Do you think I’m on par with her?’ And they always reply, ‘You can do it, just throw away your fear.’ So I think the main motivator is the encouragement from people around me, family and my teammates.

“For inspiration, I think it was the idea that I wanted to make my family’s life better. I want my parents to have a better future.”

The Fairtex fighter has swiftly risen through the ranks since commiting herself to MMA, but her most soughtafter prize still alludes her – a World Title in the sport.

She has come close before, however, having challenged ONE atomweight queen Angela Lee at ONE X last March. 

Stamp put up a good fight against “Unstoppable,” but she ultimately succumbed to second-round submission loss.

Though the defeat was difficult to swallow, the 25-year-old has roared back into the World Title conversation since then thanks to two impressive wins, and she still holds the top-ranked position in the atomweight MMA division.

Stamp says she learned a lot from her failed World Title run, and she’s ready to go for gold again on 30th September.

“After that fight [against Lee], I found out that I’m calmer and cooler. I fight more intelligently now. I think I could have focused better on the fight,” she reflected.

“That fight didn’t make me lose my confidence in any way. I just felt disappointed that I let the gold slip through my grasp. But, hey, I fought with my idol; the one I’ve always admired. 

“Just this makes me proud. I was over the moon to have a chance to fight against my idol, and Angela said that one day I will become MMA World Champion.”