Dennis Zamboanga will miss out on a shot at gold at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II on Friday, June 7. Although Stamp Fairtex has rescheduled the event due to injury, the talented atomweight will still compete. “The Menace” will take on Noelle Grandjean, sending a resounding message to the Thai superstar.
Zamboanga, T-Rex MMA to Advance Elite Training in the Philippines
But her journey doesn't end with winning gold in ONE Championship. At T-Rex MMA, it's truly a family affair, with Zamboanga training daily alongside her older brother, Drex.
“Having my brother on my side means a lot to me. He has been with me ever since I started martial arts. Now, as I strive for bigger goals, it’s good to have him by my side. It gives me a different kind of confidence,” the atomweight contender told ONE.
The 27-year-old also trains with her fiancé, Fritz Biagtan, but there is still romance between the pair, and Zamboanga is adamant that while they are both pursuing their martial arts dreams, they must remain professional within T-Rex MMA.
“Me and Fritz, we go all in when we train. It's like we're not in sync here. It's like we're not partners at all. He's strict when it comes to training. If he tells me I have to do this, I have to obey. But of course, after training we let our guard down and go back to being partners. We have that kind of shift,” Zamboanga said.
Family ties have played a big role in Zamboanga's development, as the comfort of the gym has allowed her to grow and develop as a complete fighter, and she knows her parents always have her best interest at heart.
“The bond we've built over the years is impeccable. They truly care about me and only want the best for me,” the 27-year-old said.
T-Rex MMA is quickly becoming another world-class hub for aspiring fighters, and that's a source of pride for Zamboanga. She trained with Stamp in Thailand in the past to get a taste of what the other gym has to offer. She, along with her brother and fiancé, are bringing those lessons back to the Philippines to help elevate the level of athletes in her home country.
“I feel like coming to the Philippines gave me the opportunity to train at an international level. What I learned there, the routine and attitude I developed there, I've carried over to T-Rex MMA,” Zamboanga said.
The decision to make T-Rex MMA their home base was not originally planned. They had intended to return to Thailand, but when they found out they could train in their home country, the decision to stay was easy. Now, they stand shoulder to shoulder with other big names in the Philippines as a premier gym carrying the hopes of the country. Zamboanga's title prospects are another indicator everyone should be celebrating.
“It wasn't like we just decided to come back and said, 'I'm going back to the Philippines forever,' but we came back, trained like we did before and it just picked up from there. We realized we could do it, we could do it on our own. We looked at other big gyms like Team Lakay and Lions Nation and thought if they can do it, T-Rex MMA can do it too,” Zamboanga said.
One 167 It will be broadcast live from Impact Arena in Bangkok on Friday, June 7. The match kicks off at 8pm ET/5pm PST. The event will be available to watch for free to all Amazon Prime members based in the US and Canada.
