MANILA – Filipina mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Denice Zamboanga’s controversial loss over South Korea’s Seo Hee Ham in the ONE Championship Women’s Atomweight Grand Prix quarterfinal on Friday is currently under review.
“The fight between Denice Zamboanga and Seo Hee Ham is under formal review by the ONE Championship competition committee,” according to ONE Championship chief Chatri Sityodtong after Ham’s victory raised a howl among MMA fans.
The Zamboanga-Ham bout happened at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and despite the Filipina’s superior grappling skills, the Korean was declared the winner via split decision.
The Filipina MMA fighter from the Marrok Force camp also sustained a cut on the left side of her forehead during the third round as a result of a head clash with her opponent.
“For me, I did my best in everything. I reviewed my fight; she didn’t do anything. I had the control. I even take her striking, you know. I still can’t believe (the judges’ decision),” a teary-eyed Zamboanga said in a post-match press conference.
“I had control for most of the match. I was able to keep up with her striking and was able to negate her power,” she added. “I wasn’t bothered by the gash because I knew I was winning. Even though I was bloodied by an accidental headbutt, it didn’t matter to me.”
Sityodtong, for his part, believed that the 24-year-old Zamboanga was the match’s winner, but he understood why the judges awarded the victory to her opponent.
“I thought Denice Zamboanga beat Seo Hee Ham. While I disagree with the judges, I can understand why they scored the bout for Ham,” Sityodtong wrote in a separate Facebook post.
“It was a close fight with Ham landing the cleaner, heavier punches and Denice controlling the cage work, takedowns, and ground action,” the ONE Championship boss added./PN
