Stamp envisions herself struggling against Xiong Jing Nan in grappling exchanges: “It will be hard for me”
Thai superstar Stamp Fairtex has a busy year that will also see her challenge ONE strawweight MMA world champion Xiong Jing Nan in the United States in September. It is a fight that she expects to have her work cut out for her, especially in grappling.
The reigining atomweight MMA queen seeks to add the strawweight gold to her haul at ONE 168: Denver in American primetime on September 6. The event is the first of two scheduled live on-ground events penciled in the U.S. this year.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Stamp gave her initial thoughts on her scheduled all-champion clash with Xiong, whose advantage in weight, she said, is going to be a problem for her when the fight goes to the ground.
The 26-year-old Fairtex Training Center standout said:
"With 'The Panda' I think it will be hard for me because she's bigger than me. So I think the ground game will be much harder for me [because of the weight]."
Watch the interview below:
At ONE 168, Xiong Jing Nan, 36, will be making her eighth defense of the world title she won in January 2018.
She was last in action back in September in a catchweight special rules striking showdown with Thai Nat 'Wondergirl' Jaroonsak, where she won by TKO in the third round.
Stamp to defend atomweight MMA belt first
Before Stamp Fairtex takes on 'The Panda' Xiong Jing Nan, she is up first to defend the ONE atomweight MMA world title in June against the division's No.2 contender, Denice Zamboanga of the Philippines.
The setting is ONE 167: Stamp vs Zamboanga on June 7 at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. It will be the headlining bout of the event, which will be available live and for free in U.S. primetime to North American fans via Amazon Prime Video.
It will mark the first time that the Thai sensation will be defending the atomweight MMA title after claiming the then-vacant championship belt in September last year with a third-round TKO of veteran South Korean fighter Ham Seo Hee.
Stamp succeeded the now-retired Angela Lee as ONE atomweight MMA queen.
Looking to make it a short reign for her is friend and former Fairtex Gym teammate Zamboanga, who has won her last two fights heading into the title contest.
But while she shares a friendship with her Filipino challenger, the Thai superstar said she will set that aside first so as to come up with a competitive and winning performance.