Elevated to undisputed champion, Denice Zamboanga will make her first defense of the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship at ONE 173 against home bet Ayaka Miura.
Denice Zamboanga will be challenged for her ONE Women’s Atomweight crown as she is set to defend the belt for the first time this coming November in Tokyo, Japan.
Zamboanga (12-2), who is the Philippines’ first female MMA champion, will be facing second-ranked contender Ayaka Miura (16-5) on the latter’s home ground at the Ariaka Arena for ONE 173 on November 16.
This will be a first-time matchup for both fighters inside the ONE Circle.
Miura earned her shot at Zamboanga’s title after her most recent win over Juliana Otalara at ONE Friday Fights 116 just last July 18. She won in the first round via submission on a scarf hold armlock.
The victory extended her win streak to five bouts in ONE Championship, including wins against big names like Meng Bo, Itsuki Hirata, and Ritu Phogat, who have all risen as contenders in the women’s atomweight and strawweight divisions.
Meanwhile, Zamboanga has been inactive since winning the interim crown against Alyona Rassohyna in January. Zamboanga and Stamp Fairtex were set to unify the titles in the original ONE 173 card initially set in Denver, but the fight fell through due to Stamp's injury.
As such, Zamboanga was elevated as undisputed champion and will be making her first defense in Tokyo.
Zamboanga is on a four-bout win streak herself stretching from a win on Philippine soil back in December 2022, when she drubbed China’s Heqin Lin.
Zamboanga’s title defense is one of four world championship belts which will be disputed in ONE 173. Also on deck will be ONE strawweight champion Joshua Pacio challenging home bet Yuya Wakamatsu for the flyweight title.