Allycia Hellen Rodrigues unshaken by late-notice change of opponent at ONE Fight Night 29 

The road to ONE Fight Night 29 hasn’t been the smoothest for reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues. But she remains undeterred and unshaken. 

The Brazilian star defends her crown against Marie McManamon in the main event this Friday, March 7, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium – live in U.S. primetime on Amazon Prime.  

For the best part of her fight camp, Rodrigues was training for a showdown with fierce striker Shir Cohen. That was until an injury forced the Israeli on the sidelines. So just over a week before fight night, the reigning queen was given a new foe.  

Rather than fret over the unforeseen change, Rodrigues refuses to worry. To her, McManamon is just another challenger, and she believes her body of work will continue to speak for itself.  

“Before I was offered the fight, I didn’t know Marie, and from the little I’ve seen of her, I like her style,” she said. 

“I’m very focused, and I’m well prepared. I’ve been training for a long time, and I’m very confident, even though she is a good fighter. But so am I, right? I’m number one.” 

Allycia Hellen Rodrigues welcomes the pressure ahead of ONE Fight Night 29

ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues has been fighting the best of the best since arriving in ONE Championship. 

Evidence of that comes from her debut alone, where she stripped Stamp Fairtex of the atomweight Muay Thai belt in 2020 after outpointing her over five rounds.  

The pressure was high then, and it’s only risen throughout her tenure. But it’s a part of the experience she embraces, helping her perform at the highest level.  

“I always feel pressure. There’s no way around it. As they say, it’s hard to reach the top but even harder to stay there,” she said. 

“So, I always feel the pressure — and as always, the anxiety that hits is that urge to fight immediately, and also to defend my belt, to win.”