Some victories cannot be measured in rounds or recorded on a professional card. Denice Zamboanga knows this better than most, and on Monday she chose the most important one of all.

The Filipino fighter announced on her social media accounts that she is relinquishing the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship after welcoming a baby with her husband Fritz “Kid Tornado” Biagtan. In a heartfelt statement, Zamboanga said the decision was the right one for this season of her life and for the athletes in her division still chasing their own dreams.

The announcement brought a close to the reign of the first Filipina MMA World Champion in history. Zamboanga built a 12-2 professional record across seven ONE Championship appearances, surviving setbacks before finally claiming gold in January 2025 with a second-round TKO of Alyona Rassohyna at ONE Fight Night 27.

The victory earned her the interim belt and a US$50,000 performance bonus. When former champion Stamp Fairtex relinquished the undisputed title four months later, Zamboanga’s interim gold became the real thing.

She addressed the decision directly in the post.

“God has always had a beautiful plan for my life, and I trust His timing in everything. After much prayer and reflection, I have made the difficult decision to vacate my ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship,” she wrote.

“This was not an easy choice, but I believe it is the right one for this season of my life and for the athletes in my division who continue to chase their dreams.”

The relinquishment also sheds light on her withdrawal from ONE 173 last November, where she had been scheduled to make her first title defence against Japan’s Ayaka Miura before pulling out due to medical reasons. The path to ONE Championship gold was never straightforward. Back-to-back defeats to Ham Seo Hee at ONE: Empower in 2021 and ONE X in 2022 forced a full rebuild, and what followed was as determined a run as the division has seen.

Zamboanga left no ambiguity about her plans beyond motherhood. The belt may be gone, but the fighter inside her is not.

“While I am stepping away from the title, I am not stepping away from the sport I love. Fighting has shaped who I am, and the warrior in me will always remain,” she wrote.

“Right now, my heart and focus are devoted to the greatest blessing God has entrusted to me. This season is teaching me that there are victories beyond championship belts, and I am embracing every moment of it with gratitude.”

READ MORE: Rungrawee Sitsongpeenong Promises Payback Against George Jarvis At ONE Fight Night 44

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