"We don't need to rush" - Allycia Hellen Rodrigues not looking to fight against Denice Zamboanga just yet

Allycia Hellen Rodrigues is taking a measured approach to her planned MMA transition, ruling out an immediate all-champ showdown despite her dominant reign as ONE women's atomweight Muay Thai world champion.

The 27-year-old Brazilian retained her striking crown with a spectacular third-round knockout of Johanna Persson at ONE Fight Night 33 last Friday, dropping the Swedish challenger with a solid left hook at 59 seconds of the third round inside Bangkok's legendary Lumpinee Stadium.

"No, I want to start step by step. We don't need to rush. We want to make a few fights," Allycia Hellen Rodrigues told Nick Atkin when asked about potentially challenging current atomweight MMA queen Denice Zamboanga.

"We're not here to just fight. We want to come and compete in that show. So it's not only about getting there and fighting, but you've [got to be] ready to fight."

Watch her full interview with Nick Atkin here:

Rodrigues' willingness to build her way up rather than immediately pursuing championship gold shows the kind of respect that could serve her well in the discipline.

At present, the Fortaleza native has been taking up grappling classes at Phuket Fight Club for that move, which all but seems imminent based on what she had to say inside the Thai capital last week.

Her timeline of starting MMA next year while continuing to defend her Muay Thai title presents an intriguing challenge for the longest-reigning female champion in ONE's striking divisions.

However, it shouldn't be one that the atomweight Muay Thai queen wouldn't be able to handle.

Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America can access the complete ONE Fight Night 33 replay for free.

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Allycia Hellen Rodrigues explains why she wants to take it slow in MMA move

Allycia Hellen Rodrigues doubled down on her cautious approach to the all-encompassing discipline, admitting that it'll be better to come prepared instead of entering uncharted territory without the right skill set.

"Many people come into the ring to fight, but not many people are ready to fight. So when we come to fight for the MMA belt, we're going to be ready for that," she continued in the same interview.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding her next fight on the global stage.