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Denice Zamboanga scores KO win vs Ukrainian, becomes first Filipina MMA champ

Sports

Denice Zamboanga scores KO win vs Ukrainian, becomes first Filipina MMA champ

By Mark Rey Montejo

At A Glance

After so many years of trying and waiting, Denice "The Menace" Zamboanga is now a world champion.

After so many years of trying and waiting, Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga is now a world champion.

Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga finally won her ONE Championship title. (ONE Championship)

Zamboanga came out with a monstrous performance and scored a technical knockout victory over Ukraine’s Alyona Rassohyna to take the ONE interim women’s atomweight world championship Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 28-year-old fighter put her Ukrainian rival down the canvas in the second frame, dropping multiple heavy hits that eventually convinced referee Herb Dean at the 4:47 mark to stop the co-main event match of ONE Fight Night 27.

“I’ve been here for years. I’ve made it through hard work, tears, and everything. I’m really speechless,” said Zamboanga.

“The delays and injuries, I’ve been through a lot of injuries. Just last week I couldn’t even move my left arm but I didn’t want to cancel this fight because I know God will give me this fight,” she added.

With her MMA world title-clinching win, Zamboanga became the first Filipina to achieve such a feat while also bagging the $50,000 bonus (P2.9 million) for her knockout victory.

Zamboanga improved her pro record to 7-2 win-loss while Rassohyna (1-2) sustained her second defeat.

As expected, the two female warriors poured it all out with both sides firing heavy hits. But it was Zamboanga who was faster and on target, taking advantage of her superior speed against the taller Ukrainian to cut her down to size.

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Denice Zamboanga ONE Championship

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