Stamp Fairtex tells story of how BJJ coach surprised her with purple belt promotion

ONE Championship female atomweight Stamp Fairtex has excelled at combat sports from a very early age. After training in Muay Thai at the age of five, Stamp made history 16 years later when she became ONE Chamionship’s first two-sport world champion, winning the atomweight kickboxing and Muay Thai world titles early with the promotion.

Later on, she famously made the transition from striking martial arts to mixed martial arts competition, with aspirations of becoming an unprecedented three-sport world champion.

In 2021, Stamp Fairtex earned another accolade, defeating three other women in MMA to become the promotion’s first ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix tournament winner.

While speaking to ONE Championship, the fan-favorite Thai discussed another recent milestone in her already storied combat sports career: earning her purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

She told ONE Championship about how her BJJ coach presented her with the belt promotion:

“That day, my coach told me to join a BJJ class, so I went there despite it being my day off. I didn't plan to go there. We practiced as usual, until the end of the class where all students gathered together to pay respect with each other before leaving, sensei said to me, 'Remember what I said to you two years ago?' I said, 'I don't remember.’ Then he said, 'I gave you the blue belt and promised to give the purple belt two years later. But it's overdue for a year now. So, I bring it to you today.' And he took out a purple belt and gave it to me. I was very surprised because I didn't think I would get it. I cried with gratitude. And I know that I have come halfway through my pursuit in BJJ.”

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Stamp Fairtex is motivated to continue learning and improving her BJJ skills upon earning her purple belt

After receiving her purple belt, Stamp Fairtex remained eager to keep moving forward, learning and improving.

“I didn't reward myself. I just said to myself, 'You have done well, keep up good work!'"

Stamp put her BJJ skills on full display in the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix final, where she faced decorated wrestler ‘The Indian Tigress’ Ritu Phogat. Many believed Stamp would keep the fight standing to utilize her elite striking, but the Thai warrior shocked the MMA world when she not only held her own on the ground, she submitted Phogat via armbar to win the tournament title.

The victory earned Stamp the right to challenge ONE women’s atomweight world champion Angela Lee, whom she went on to face at ONE X in March. In the first round of their showdown, Stamp nearly had ‘Unstoppable’ out on her feet with a vicious body shot. However, instinct took over and Lee utilized her grappling skills to score a second-round rear-naked choke finish.

Despite the loss, Stamp Fairtex still aspires to be the promotion’s first three-sport world champion and will continue to work towards improving her skills both on the feet and on the mat.

"Now, I just want to keep improving my skills step by step until the day that I deserve [a brown belt]. I think it will take some time and I have to work harder to get promoted to the next level. I still have a lot to learn and to prove. And, I won’t stop. Although I won’t get a brown belt soon, I can still add tools to my arsenal every day.”