Stamp Fairtex has become a global superstar while competing in ONE Championship, but she recently revealed that her rise to the top didn’t come without its share of struggles.

The Thai superstar will look to overcome her biggest test yet when she takes on Ham Seo Hee for the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship in the main event of ONE Fight Night 14 on Friday, September 29, and she’s been reflecting on how she got to where she is.

Stamp Fairtex looks back at the difficult phase of her career

Stamp rose to prominence after becoming a two-sport ONE World Champion, claiming the promotion’s atomweight Muay Thai and kickboxing straps. She was riding high at a young age, until she lost both belts in the space of a year. In a recent interview with ONE, the 25-year-old shared that dropping two World Titles in a short time sent her to a dark place – one that she struggled to escape from.

“During that time, I was utterly devastated. I lost two golds and was going through a difficult time in my personal life,” she said.“I felt defeated and felt like I didn’t want to do anything anymore. I wanted to isolate myself and needed some time to think. I really was not okay.” Despite being at her lowest ebb, quitting was never an option that she considered. But a change was needed, so she took some time to re-evaluate herself and her career. From that, the Fairtex athlete found her strength, and she vowed to return as a better fighter.

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“I just needed to take a short break. Then, I would return as a better version of myself. I just needed a break to heal my body, mind, and calm my nerves,” Stamp said. “I just told myself, ‘Give me a moment to rest, so I can regain my faith and become a better Stamp.” The break did wonders for her. She went on to win the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Grand Prix and earn her first shot at the division’s top prize, held by longtime queen Angela Lee. The pair squared off at ONE X in March 2022, and Stamp put up a valiant fight before succumbing to a second-round submission loss.

Bounce back from the losses and a path to triumph for Fairtex

The Pattaya native has racked up three consecutive wins since then, with her latest victory, a second-round knockout over Alyse Anderson at ONE Fight Night 10, securing her a shot at the interim gold. She believes that getting past the difficult tests in her life helped her reach new heights, and she offered advice to people who may be in a rough patch.“I would like to advise others to give themselves a ton of encouragement. Many people might receive a lot of encouragement from others but not from themselves, so they can’t heal their heart.”

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Stamp said. “I want them to try to think positively. Don’t let negative thoughts overwhelm you and make you unhappy.” As she readies herself for her monumental clash with Ham, the charismatic fan-favorite hopes her message reaches people and inspires them to push through their issues. The former two-sport queen believes staying active can help alleviate negative feelings and improve both physical and mental health. “Exercise can help because it’s a good way to express your feelings. It makes you focus on what’s in front of you because you have to focus on controlling your body or movement,” Stamp shared. “Not just Muay Thai or MMA – any exercise can help you stay mentally healthy, and it’s also good for your body.”