Thai megastar Stamp Fairtex steps back into the Circle for the first time in over two years as she takes on Japanese veteran Kana Morimoto in an atomweight kickboxing tilt AN 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The former three-sport ONE Championship titleholder has completed her recovery from a torn meniscus injury that sidelined her since capturing the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship via third-round TKO against Ham Seo Hee in September 2023. The comeback has special meaning as Stamp fulfills her longtime dream of competing on her birthday while testing her surgically repaired knee against an elite opponent.
Thai superstar stamp embraces uncertainty over returns
Stamp acknowledged the mixture of excitement and nervousness that accompanied her return to the Circle, expressing genuine uncertainty about how her body will respond during championship-level competition. The Fairtex Training Center product understands that training and therapy cannot fully replicate the demands of actual combat.
“I feel excited and also nervous. I won’t know the full extent of my body’s fitness and capabilities until I actually step in to fight,” the 27-year-old Thai revealed.
The former atomweight kickboxing, Muay Thai and MMA queen brings 14 ONE Championship victories and a four-fight winning streak into her comeback performance, although the lengthy layoff raises legitimate questions about ring rust and physical conditioning.
Stamp’s grueling recovery process tested Stamp’s mental strength
The Thais explained the psychological toll of transitioning from elite athlete to rehabilitation patient, describing the daily struggle to replace training sessions with physiotherapy sessions. Stamp’s candid assessment reveals the mental strength it takes to overcome serious injury.
“This is my comeback fight after more than two years. The last two years have been difficult. It changed my routine from training Muay Thai every day to doing physical therapy every day. Getting through every day felt like it took a lot of mental strength,” she said.
The torn meniscus injury forced Stamp to vacate her title in May 2025 due to her inability to compete, marking a disappointing end to her reign before she fully recovered from the knee damage.
Birthday celebration motivates immediate return request
Stamp wasted no time in requesting her return to competition after medical professionals cleared her for full activity, specifically focusing on the Nov. 16 Tokyo card, which coincides with her birthday. The old dream of participating on her special day provided extra motivation during the rehabilitation process.
“The moment the doctor said, ‘Okay, your body is 100 percent, you can fight,’ I immediately asked for a fight. When the match came for November 16 in Tokyo, I said to the gym owner, Mr. Prem, ‘I want to fight!’ Because it just happens to be my birthday, and I’ve always dreamed of fighting on my birthday,” Stamp stated.
The 33-year-old Morimoto presents a formidable test for the Thai megastar as the Japanese striker brings her own experience and home crowd advantage to this atomweight kickboxing match. ONE 173 takes place on Sunday, November 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
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