Denice Zamboanga Vs. Alyona Rassohyna: 4 Keys Victory In Interim MMA World Title Bout At ONE Fight Night 27
With atomweight MMA queen Stamp Fairtex still recovering from injury, Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga and Alyona Rassohyna will keep the division moving with a battle for the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship.
The pair will meet live in U.S. primetime at ONE Fight Night 27: Tang vs. Abdullaev on Prime Video this Friday, January 10, and their opposing styles should make for a thrilling contest.
Zamboanga will be eager to earn a World Title unification matchup with her former training partner Stamp, while Rassohyna could book a rubber match with the Thai superstar.
To get that opportunity, one of them must first claim the interim throne. Here are the most significant keys to victory in this high-stakes battle at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand
#1 Rassohyna Closing The Distance
Rassohyna is an out-and-out grappler who wants the match on the canvas – but she needs to get it there first.
The Ukrainian can’t just shoot in from way out against an elite opponent like Zamboanga, so she’ll have to work behind her punches to get close.
Although not concussive, Rassohyna throws a solid left hook that she can utilize to work her way into the clinch, where she likes to use head-and-arm throws to get her rivals to the ground.
The 34-year-old also has good shots on the legs. She can employ her single- and double-leg takedowns going forward, but they’re more effective as counters when her opponents reach with their punches or attack with kicks.
Knowing Rassohyna’s skill set, it’s likely that Zamboanga will try to engage with her striking from further out. With that in mind, the former needs to aggressively cut down the space if she wants to get to grips with her Filipino foe.
#2 Zamboanga’s Takedown Defense
Zamboanga is a well-rounded athlete, which means she has options against a dangerous submission specialist.
In this battle, Rassohyna’s agenda will be forcing the bout to the ground. “The Menace” has to prevent that in order to produce more stand-up exchanges, where the odds favor her.
The surging 27-year-old generally works with her hands quite low, which will help her dig for underhooks to fend off her rival’s leg attacks.
Seeing less danger in Rassohyna’s striking than in most of her previous opponents, Zamboanga should be even more comfortable keeping her guard down in conjunction with her strong sprawl.
If she gets dragged to the mat, “The Menace” will be active from her back. As well as tying up her opponents with overhooks and wrist control, she looks to strike from her guard – which can be disconcerting for the top player and force them to open gaps.
#3 Rassohyna Finding The Arm
Very few fighters have a signature move as potent as Rassohyna’s.
The Yarost Gym representative is an armbar specialist who earned 10 first-round finishes with the submission prior to entering ONE.
She submitted Stamp with a guillotine in their first clash in 2021, but in that encounter and in the rematch, she came close to catching the arm.
Rassohyna has entries to the armbar from everywhere. If she gets on top, she’ll try to set it from mount or side control, and if she’s on the bottom, she’s a massive threat from the guard.
Her aptitude for the armbar means Zamboanga only needs to make one mistake from the first second to the last – and the Ukrainian grappler can make her pay.
#4 Zamboanga’s Striking From Range
Given the submission threat Rassohyna brings, it might be wise for Zamboanga to try to stay away from positions she usually likes to employ.
“The Menace” does a good job of bullying her opponents on the fence, but instead of pressuring in close, she should stay at farther range to fire away while giving her foe fewer chances to grab hold.
Zamboanga also has some kicks in her arsenal, but she should let her hands do most of the scoring to avoid Rassohyna catching her legs for takedowns.
The Filipino’s best punches are straights moving forward that can maximize her reach, but she’s also dangerous on the back foot, firing off straights and hooks as opponents try to chase her.
Although Zamboanga has yet to produce a KO finish in ONE, her right hand packs a lot of power and has wobbled several of her rivals. With the belt on the line in her first five-rounder, she’ll hope to land it clean enough for the finish at some point.
