Stamp Fairtex Vs. Ham Seo Hee: 4 Keys To MMA World Title Victory At ONE Fight Night 14
Stamp Fairtex and Ham Seo Hee’s main event matchup at ONE Fight Night 14 on Prime Video has the potential to be one of the greatest bouts of 2023.
The two superstars will meet for the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title in U.S. primetime this Friday, September 29, and given the elite striking arsenals of each athlete, fans can expect an all-action clash for the gold.
Stamp’s famed Muay Thai repertoire will be up against Ham’s relentless pressure and many years of MMA experience, but how can the top-ranked contenders gain an edge at the Singapore Indoor Stadium?
Here are the biggest keys to victory in this epic World Title battle as Stamp aims for historic three-sport glory and Ham looks to crown her decorated mixed martial arts career.
#1 Ham’s Intense Pressure
Once dubbed “Hamderlei Silva” for her relentless pressure style, Ham could be the first MMA opponent who charges straight toward Stamp and unleashes strikes.
Stamp is used to taking the center and being the one who’s eager to exchange, while most of her foes are concerned with taking her down. So, if Ham can surprise the Fairtex sensation by dictating the pace, it will quickly give her the advantage.
It’s also unlikely that incoming punches will be enough to deter “Hamzzang.” The 36-year-old South Korean veteran has fought bigger opponents in both MMA and kickboxing over the years, yet she’s never been stopped by strikes.
Ham’s unabating forward march could put Thai in unfamiliar territory and test both her conditioning and composure – potentially forcing errors throughout the five-round match.
#2 Stamp’s Kicks
Stamp’s kicks will be her best tools to slow down Ham and control the pace.
The former ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion unloads thudding kicks to the body and legs, both of which will serve a purpose against her durable rival.
If the Fairtex athlete can smash her shins into “Hamzzang’s” thighs with the appropriate venom, the latter might struggle to keep marching forward. Stamp’s body kicks are also likely to thwart Ham, who will have more trouble lunging in if she’s eating strike after strike to the midsection.
Combined, this could result in an immobile and energy-depleted opponent, which would allow Stamp more freedom to tee off with punishing strikes.
#3 Ham’s Powerful Left Cross
While Ham loves to go forward and wade in with punches, she’s also very technical and adept at teeing up her solid left cross.
Rather than charging Stamp down recklessly and throwing every ounce of energy into her punches, “Hamzzang” will be happy to wait for the right time to pick her shot.
The Team Mad athlete likes to paw out her jab and cover her opponent’s lead hand to elicit their jab. From there, she dips right and fires her blistering left cross through the middle, either to the head or body.
Ham can score heavily with the strike when countering Stamp’s straight punches, and the left cross could also be a remedy for the heavy kicks if she can catch, counter, and return fire.
#4 Stamp’s Strong Clinch
If Stamp runs out of space after being pushed back, she can grab hold of Ham and use her strong clinch game to pour on some damage.
Equally, the Rayong native can pressure forward to tie up Ham on her own terms, which Denice Zamboanga did well in her first battle with “Hamzzang.”
Zamboanga kept Ham on the fence for prolonged periods, but she did not have Stamp’s firepower or skill to really accumulate damage in that spot.
Conversely, Stamp’s vast Muay Thai experience shows through when she dominates foes in the clinch, constantly breaking their posture before uncorking heavy strikes to the body and head.
The 25-year-old has gut-crushing knees and dangerous elbows that she employs when her foes are tied up, and she’ll often let rip with a right hand or right elbow on the way out if those opponents manage to free themselves.
With that in mind, Ham will need to be measured with her pressure to avoid Stamp’s grasps and remain vigilant on the breaks – because the Thai fan favorite will have something waiting for her on the exit.
