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The story of ONE Championship's female atomweight Grand Prix is filled with surprises as well as epic battles. On December 3, at ONE Championship: Winter Warriors, the storied atomweight tournament will finally come to an end. Fans will witness the charismatic kickboxing phenom Stamp Fairtex take on wrestling machine Ritu 'The Indian Tigress' Phogat.
The pair of ONE Championship atomweight contenders tell a compelling tale of the tape as each operate at opposite ends of the fight spectrum.
Stamp, hailing from the famous Fairtex Muay Thai gym, is a phenom on the feet. Her picture-perfect kicks are unparalleled in the game. The Fairtex fighter has already won both Muay Thai and kickboxing titles in ONE Championship. Beating Phogat will secure the flamboyant Thai fighter a chance to become ONE world champion in three different combat sports.
However, the only roadblock in her way is the grizzled wrestler Ritu Phogat. The former wrestling world champion entered as a sort of dark horse in the tournament. Her come-from-behind win against China's Meng Bo proves that Phogat has plenty of grit and a relentless spirit. 'The Indian Tigress' got rocked early by strikes and was locked deep in an armbar by Meng. By sheer will alone, the Indian powerhouse pushed through and took back the fight using her gritty wrestling. Phogat herself is vying for a place in history by becoming the first Indian female MMA world champion.
ONE Championship Atomweight World Grand Prix finals pose an interesting match for champion Angela Lee
Though their styles are largely contrasting, what's truly compelling about Stamp vs. Phogat is that both competitors pose a unique threat to champion Angela Lee. ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong himself proclaimed that Stamp is perhaps the biggest threat to the queen:
"I think a really tough fight for Angela would be someone like a Stamp. Styles make fights and it's no secret that Angela has world class jiu-jitsu - her submissions are incredible. But it's also no secret that her striking needs a lot of work still. She's improved her striking leaps and bounds, but it's nowhere near world class in my humble opinion. Stamp has the style to give Angela a long night."
For Phogat, her bruising top game and gritty wrestling might be able to stifle Lee's dynamic Jiujitsu. Phogat is like a smaller, scrappier version of former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Strong wrestlers have the innate power and sheer force to stifle Jiujitsu and Phogat can do just that to Lee.
Come December 3, however, Stamp and Phogat will have to go through each other first. A dominant, savage striker versus a resilient and gritty wrestler. It doesn't get more interesting and exciting than that. Both are 7-1 in their pro MMA careers and have utterly decimated their semifinal opponents. Whoever emerges victorious will take home the prestigious Grand Prix silver belt and get a shot at 'Unstoppable' Angela Lee’s ONE Championship Atomweight World Title in 2022.
