“This Is Where the Universe Wants Me to Go” – Noelle Grandjean Clarifies Why Denice Zamboanga Fight at ONE 167 Was Taken on Short Notice

Noelle “Lil’ Monkey” Grandjean didn’t hesitate to accept a late-notice showdown against #2-ranked atomweight MMA contender Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga.

The pair are slated to throw down this Friday, June 7, at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II on Prime Video, live in U.S. primetime at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

Noelle Grandjean has a realization before the fight with Denice Zamboanga

For Grandjean, the fight represents a massive opportunity. That’s because Zamboanga was originally slated to challenge reigning atomweight MMA queen Stamp Fairtex for her gold, but when the Thai megastar suffered a torn meniscus and was forced to withdraw, “Lil’ Monkey” stepped up to the plate.

With a victory at ONE 167, the Thai-French standout knows she could jump the queue and steal Zamboanga’s World Title shot.

A talented judoka with a willingness to trade punches on the feet, Grandjean arrived in ONE with plenty of hype behind her but has struggled to find consistency at the highest levels, going 2-2 in her ONE tenure.

The change to fight Zamboanga, she says, came at just the right time, “Honestly, I just think it’s a big opportunity, and I know a lot of people would love to be in my place. So I just realized I need to take this opportunity.

“Also, this opportunity also came at a moment I was having doubts about my career, and this was when I got the call. I was thinking this is where the universe wants me to go, and there’s no time for doubts and questioning. I think it’s going to be a fun fight.”

When she accepted the fight, Grandjean had just a couple of weeks to prepare. While her abbreviated training camp has necessarily been an intense one, she says that she’s enjoying herself, “It’s just intense training all the time. I’m also focused on having fun. This is what I lost in my last fight – the fun part. It’s important to get the fun side back. I would love to do something spectacular in there.”

What has “Lil’ Monkey” planned if she wins the fight?

“Lil’ Monkey” understands what’s on the line in her clash with Zamboanga – a potential crack at 26 pounds of gold.

Given those stakes, it’s no surprise she accepted the fight.

Grandjean added, “If I win this fight, I would like to have some time off and breathe. I have been in survival mode for quite a bit. After that, of course, fighting for the belt has always been the goal.

“Denice is a top contender. If I get a win against Denice, it will definitely propel me to the belt. It’s a big opportunity, so I took it.”