Filipina MMA fighter Denice Zamboanga dominated Noelle Grandjean en route to a unanimous decision victory in their women's MMA atomweight bout at ONE 167 at the Impact Arena, Bangkok, Thailand on June 8, 2024. Handout/ONE Championship/File
MANILA -- Filipina mixed martial arts (MMA) star Denice Zamboanga saw no reason to stop training even after sustaining a hamstring injury that put her out of action in the second half of 2024.
Zamboanga was supposed to face off against Alyonna Rassohyna in October for the ONE Interim Atomweight MMA World Title, but their match was postponed due to her injury.
"The Menace" did not stop training, however, focusing on the other facets of her skill set while waiting to be cleared for her return to action.
"My training continued. Even though I suffered a minor injury, I never really stopped training," said Zamboanga.
"I avoided straining my hamstring. That's the only thing I took care of, but I stayed active even with the minor injury," she added.
Zamboanga is hopeful that her dedication will pay off on January 11, 2025, when she and Rassohyna finally tussle for the interim championship at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
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"It's going to be a big deal for me if I start the year with a win. I'm also gonna be celebrating my birthday this January as well, so I truly want to celebrate my birthday with a World Title," said Zamboanga.
Having waited a long time to get her shot at gold, Zamboanga is determined to take care of business against Rassohyna.
"I'm confident that I'll get to finish her wherever it goes, whether it be on the feet or on the ground," the Filipina predicted.