Denice Zamboanga vacates ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title after welcoming her first child

She chased the title for years through injuries, postponements, and two defeats. She won it in January 2025 with a second-round finish, became her country’s first-ever female MMA World Champion. Now she puts it down — not because she lost, but because something more important arrived.

Denice Zamboanga has relinquished the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship after welcoming a baby with her husband Fritz “Kid Tornado” Biagtan. In a statement posted to her social media accounts, the Filipino fighter said she reached the decision after much prayer and reflection. She described it as right for the division’s contenders who continue to pursue their goals.

The story behind the belt matters. Zamboanga turned professional with a 12-2 career record and seven ONE Championship victories. The most significant of those came at ONE Fight Night 27 in January 2025.

There, she stopped Alyona Rassohyna in the second round to claim the interim title, earning a US$50,000 performance bonus. Four months later, Stamp Fairtex relinquished the undisputed crown. That elevated Zamboanga to the top of the division she had spent years climbing.

“God has always had a beautiful plan for my life, and I trust His timing in everything. After much prayer and reflection, I have made the difficult decision to vacate my ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship,” she wrote.

“This was not an easy choice, but I believe it is the right one for this season of my life and for the athletes in my division who continue to chase their dreams.”

Denice Zamboanga will return to MMA

Denice Zamboanga’s relinquishment also clarifies her withdrawal from ONE 173 last November, where she was scheduled to defend against Japan’s Ayaka Miura before stepping aside for medical reasons. She vacated the title, but she was unambiguous about where the story ends.

She made clear that motherhood is a pause in her fighting career, not its conclusion. The drive that carried her through back-to-back losses to Ham Seo Hee at ONE: EMPOWER in 2021 and ONE X in 2022, and back to the top of the division, is not something she is leaving behind.

“While I am stepping away from the title, I am not stepping away from the sport I love. Fighting has shaped who I am, and the warrior in me will always remain,” she wrote.

“Right now, my heart and focus are devoted to the greatest blessing God has entrusted to me. This season is teaching me that there are victories beyond championship belts, and I am embracing every moment of it with gratitude.”