Korean cage veteran “Arale Chan” Seo Hee Ham will be making her ONE Championship debut in the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix.

She plans to make a splash by aiming for a knockout victory over No. 1-ranked atomweight contender Denice Zamboanga at ONE: Empower.

“Physically and mentally, I feel like I’m in the best shape of my career. I feel strong and ready for my ONE Championship debut. It’s going to be a fun one,” Seo said.

ONE: Empower was originally scheduled to broadcast live on May 28 from the Singapore Indoor Stadium, but was postponed until further notice due to the COVID-19 situation. The organization is expected to announce a new date soon.

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Analysts believe Seo is the "dark horse" to win the entire tournament.

“This is a great tournament and a great opportunity to compete among the best. I have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it," she siad.

Zamboanga, meanwhile, is the division’s alpha female. The Filipina athlete joined ONE Championship in December 2019, upsetting top-rated talent Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan. Zamboanga backed up that victory with another upset over former ONE World Title challenger Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi, to earn her spot at the top of the rankings.

“She will probably look for a takedown and try to bring the fight to the ground. I don’t really mind fighting anywhere in MMA, so I’m just going to try to make the best of every situation,” Seo said.

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“I believe I will knock her out, and that’s the plan. That’s what I want, but of course, I can’t guarantee that. I’m preparing to go the full distance. It has been a long time since my last fight, so I want to enjoy every minute of it.”

Seo knows Zamboanga is a legitimate threat, and has prepared for her accordingly. She is confident she will beat Zamboanga and advance to the next round.

“I think she’s a great athlete. She’s very strong and capable. I don’t think she has any real weaknesses. I don’t want to underestimate her,” Seo said.

“As always, if I work hard and give it my all, I think I can win the whole thing.”

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