Thai superstar Stamp Fairtex spent two years wondering whether her body would cooperate again. The former three-sport queen traded heavy bags for rehab rooms, transforming daily striking sessions into careful stretches that tested patience more than technique.
Stamp faces Kana Morimoto in atomweight kickboxing at ONE 173 on Sunday, November 16, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The 27-year-old captured the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title at ONE Fight Night 14 in 2023 before a torn meniscus derailed her championship reign and forced complete lifestyle reconstruction.
Everything changed during a 2024 training session preparing for Denice Zamboanga. Sparring went sideways when Stamp’s knee gave out, replacing fight preparation with surgical repairs. Scheduled defenses evaporated while rehabilitation became her primary opponent across endless physical therapy appointments.
Her routine flipped completely. Where striking drills once dominated schedules, measured movements and controlled exercises filled hours. Progress came slowly through repetition that demanded different mental fortitude than competitive battles ever required.
“This is my comeback fight after more than two years. The past two years were difficult. It changed my routine from training Muay Thai every day to doing physical therapy every day. There was a time when I felt like I was pushing too hard,” she said.
“I feel excited, and also nervous. I won’t know the full extent of my body’s condition and capability until I actually step in to fight.
“It turned out it wasn’t the time yet, so I had to reset everything and go back to physical therapy from scratch. It was hard. Getting through each day felt like it required a lot of mental strength.”
Stamp Fairtex discovers confidence through gradual recovery process
Setbacks tested Stamp beyond her September 2024 return target. Plans to challenge Xiong Jing Nan for strawweight MMA gold at ONE 168: Denver collapsed when her knee refused cooperation. The Thai star reset expectations again, rebuilding confidence through small victories that coaches celebrated alongside her.
Sparring sessions eventually revealed progress invisible on medical charts. Impact that once caused sharp pain registered as manageable discomfort, then barely noticeable sensation. Those moments built belief faster than any doctor’s clearance could provide.
Medical approval finally arrived, unleashing Stamp’s eagerness to compete again. When November 16 emerged as an option, she recognized something beyond convenient scheduling. Her birthday offered symbolic redemption after years watching others fight while she healed.
“When [my sparring partner] kicked, it didn’t hurt much. When it didn’t hurt, I felt, ‘Wow, my confidence went up! Okay, I’m ready, I can do it!’ That day I knew it probably wouldn’t hurt anymore. So I gained confidence day by day. My confidence just kept building up,” she said.
“The moment the doctor said, ‘Okay, your body is 100 percent, you can fight,’ I requested a fight right away. When the matchup for November 16 in Tokyo came up, I told the gym owner, Mr. Prem, ‘I want to fight!’ Because it happens to be my birthday, and I’ve always dreamed of fighting on my birthday.”