Stamp Fairtex has been forced to withdraw from ONE 167 due to injury.
The ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA Champion suffered a torn meniscus during her training camp, leading to her having to withdraw. ONE Featherweight Muay Thai Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai’s World Title defense against “Smokin” Jo Nattawut has been moved from the co-main to the headline bout of the June 7 event, as a result.
Stamp’s opponent, Denice Zamboanga, will remain on the card, and an announcement of her new opponent is expected in the coming days.
The atomweight MMA queen detailed how the injury occurred in a recent interview with ONE Championship.
“My sparring partner was behind me, and she was going to take me down. She grabbed my body and lifted me up, but since she is smaller than me, when she lifted me up, she couldn’t lift me that high, and my leg was still touching the ground,” she said.
“Then, she twisted. When she twisted, my leg was still touching the ground, so my knee got twisted. When it twisted, it made a loud noise. So, I stopped immediately and went for an MRI after that. [And the doctor said] my meniscus was torn.”
Although Stamp’s exit is disappointing, ONE 167 is still loaded with martial arts superstars. The Thai megastar remains positive about the event, and she is pushing fans to support the athletes appearing at Bangkok, Thailand’s Impact Arena.
“I worked hard and was very focused on this fight. Accidents happen all the time,” Stamp said.
“For those who were going to watch me, I would like you to give encouragement to all Thai fighters. Tawanchai [PK Saenchai], Jo [Nattawut], Rodtang [Jitmuangnon], and Mikey [Musumeci].”
The new main event is no step-down. Tawanchai and Nattawut put on a thrilling kickboxing contest last October that many believe the latter won, even though the judges disagreed.
A rematch has been in the works since their first meeting, and it will be fascinating to see how it goes down under Muay Thai rules.
Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II will be a sensational way to cap off what is to be another unforgettable night for ONE Championship.
ONE 167 airs live and free on Prime Video on Friday, June 7, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.