Stamp Fairtex reveals she was inspired to pursue MMA by watching Rika Ishige: “It made me want to learn more”

With her roots in the ‘art of eight limbs,’ former ONE atomweight Muay Thai and kickboxing world champion Stamp Fairtex recently admitted that she never saw herself one day competing in mixed martial arts when she started her professional fighting career.

It was only after she found inspiration in a fellow female Thai fighter that she began to dream about becoming an MMA world champion.

In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Stamp talked about drawing inspiration from watching fellow Thai Rika Ishige in ONE Championship.

The 25-year-old Pattaya native said:

“Since my first day I decided to switch to MMA, it feels like just the same day when I first came to Fairtex six years ago. That time I didn't know much about MMA, until the gym owner showed me a video of Rika Ishige. And he told me I can develop myself into MMA. Because I’m a Muay Thai fighter, I can strike well. All I needed was to practice BJJ and wrestling. Then I enjoyed trying these new challenges and it made me want to learn more about this sport.”

Today, Stamp is one of the most prolific female MMA fighters in Asia, and soon, she will get another opportunity to win a third world title in her third sport.

Stamp Fairtex, the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix champion and no.1-ranked atomweight MMA contender, is set to do battle with no.2-ranked ‘Hamzzang’ Ham Seo Hee of South Korea at ONE Fight Night 14: Stamp vs. Ham on Prime Video.

The event broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore on Friday, September 29.

The fight will be for the ONE women’s interim atomweight MMA world title.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free on Amazon Prime Video.