Atomweight Queens: Everything you need to know about Angela Lee vs. Stamp Fairtex at ONE X

Only a few days remain until reigning ONE women’s atomweight world champion Angela Lee makes her highly-anticipated return to the circle. She'll do so to defend her belt against No.1-ranked contender Stamp Fairtex.

The two fierce atomweights will lock horns in the main event of ONE X, ONE Championship’s historic 10-year anniversary extravaganza. The event is set to broadcast live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Saturday, March 26.

It is without a doubt the most significant women’s atomweight bout in the history of mixed martial arts, and it took us a while to get here. While it will certainly be worth the wait, let’s take a look at each fighter’s journey to get to this point.

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The rise of Stamp Fairtex

Stamp joined ONE via Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series in 2018. She debuted with a 19-second head kick of Rashi Shinde and quickly caught the attention of the top brass. Not long after, she was signed to ONE Super Series due to her impressive striking skills.

Eventually, Stamp captured both the atomweight Muay Thai and kickboxing belts and became the promotion’s one and only two-sport world champion. However, Stamp’s heart had always been in mixed martial arts. Soon, the 24-year-old returned to the circle to aim for her third world title in a third sport.

Stamp got off to a hot start, blitzing through four game opponents and finishing three of them. A controversial submission loss to Alyona Rassohyna halted her momentum briefly. Nevertheless, she earned herself a spot in the prestigious ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix and instantly drew Rassohyna in a rematch.

She squeezed past the Ukrainian via split decision and then dominated Brazilian dynamo Julie Mezabarba to clinch her place in the final round opposite Ritu Phogat. She shocked the Indian wrestling icon by submitting her in the second round.

It has been a steep four-year climb for Stamp, who emerges as the atomweight queen’s toughest challenger. The question is, can she fulfill her role as a usurper?

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The return of Angela Lee

Angela Lee’s storied career began in 2015, when she was a mere teenager. Her impressive professional debut victory over Aya Saied Saber was eye-opening.

Lee submitted the Egyptian via first-round armbar, introducing herself to the Asian martial arts audience who instantly fell in love with her sublime grappling skills and captivating smile. She then won five straight, all by submission, establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with.

In 2016, at just 19 years of age, Angela Lee became the youngest MMA world champion in history after defeating Japanese veteran Mei Yamaguchi to capture the inaugural ONE women’s atomweight world title. She has since successfully defended her atomweight belt four times.

The only blemish on Lee’s otherwise pristine record is an unfruitful trip to strawweight, where she met roadblocks in the form of ONE women’s strawweight world champion Xiong Jing Nan and Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Michelle Nicolini.

At the peak of her abilities, however, life kicked in. Angela Lee announced that she was pregnant with her first child in late 2020 and would be out of action for the unforeseeable future. She gave birth to daughter Ava Marie in mid-2021 and has since focused on motherhood.

However, the circle beckoned and the call of competition rang loudly. Lee knew deep inside that she wanted to resume her career and defend her world title.

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Angela Lee vs. Stamp Fairtex for all the marbles

Now, nearly two years and five months later, Angela Lee is back in Singapore, ready to perform once again under the bright lights of ONE Championship. Naturally, a multitude of questions surround this epic atomweight world title showdown.

Can Stamp Fairtex dethrone ONE’s atomweight queen, making history as the only three-sport world champion fighter in the world? Or will Angela Lee continue her reign of dominance and establish herself as the best atomweight fighter in all of mixed martial arts?

The end result will be largely predicated on several factors, the most prominent of which is Lee’s physicality as well as Stamp’s ability to grapple.

Lee’s pregnancy no doubt altered the world champion’s biology. She calls it “mom power,” but Lee says she’s actually now stronger than ever before. That remains to be seen, of course. ‘Unstoppable’ has to prove it on the battlefield.

Stamp, on the other end of the spectrum, has undoubtedly improved her mat skills over the last few years. Will it be enough to defend against a submission wizard like Lee?

We’ll know in just a few days’ time.