“I’m not scared of her at all” - Stamp Fairtex responds to Ritu Phogat’s claim she is afraid of the wrestling star

Stamp Fairtex and Ritu Phogat are fully engaged in a war of words heading into their much-anticipated showdown at ONE: Winter Warriors this December 3rd.

The No. 2-ranked atomweight contender Stamp and the No. 4-ranked Phogat have traded barbs recently through the media, with the Indian wrestling star throwing the latest shot at the Thai striker. Phogat recently claimed Stamp Fairtex was afraid of her, after sensing “fear in the eyes” of her opponent during their staredown last September.

Speaking to ONE Championship, Stamp Fairtex says Phogat has it all wrong, and that it’s ‘The Indian Tigress’ who is running scared. Here’s what Fairtex had to say:

“I do respect Ritu, she is a great fighter. She’s great at what she does, which is wrestling. I’m great at what I have, which is Muay Thai. That being said, I’m not scared of her at all. It’s quite the opposite. I have full confidence in my skills, so I don’t know what she’s talking about. To me, it’s more like whoever imposes their will in this fight is going to take home the victory.”

“I think Ritu has to be concerned with my striking and all of my weapons. That’s why she’s going to try to take me down the first chance she gets. I have to keep this a long-range fight. But in case she successfully takes me to the canvas, I’ll be ready. I’ve worked a lot on my takedown defense in training too.”

The Stamp Fairtex - Ritu Phogat showdown presents that classic striker vs. grappler matchup that fans love. This fight could very well come down to who best imposes their will.

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Stamp Fairtex is confident she can hang with Ritu Phogat on the ground

Despite Phogat’s excellence on the mats, Stamp Fairtex isn’t one bit fazed by the challenge that lies before her. Fairtex feels she has improved immensely with both her wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, enough to tussle with Phogat on the ground if need be.

“I would say my ground game is constantly improving each time I fight. It has been five years since I started training, and I never thought I’d get this far. Now to be in the Grand Prix finals, I’m even more confident of my grappling skills. I just want to get better everyday, and that’s what I’m focused on. For this fight in particular, I’ve given extra focus on defending her wrestling. I think a lot of the fans will be surprised.”

Stamp Fairtex and Ritu Phogat lock horns in the highly anticipated ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix Championship Final at ONE: Winter Warriors, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, December 3.

The winner will earn the right to face ONE women’s atomweight world champion, Angela Lee, when the Singaporean superstar returns sometime in 2022.