What a turn of events! The Philippines is back in the running for Angela Lee’s ONE Women’s Atomweight title and it’s Jenelyn Olsim who is carrying the cudgels for the country this time.
ONE Championship, on October 24, 2021, announced that it is elevating the Team lakay rising star from participating in an alternate bout straight to a semifinals appearance in the ONE Women’s Atomweight Grand Prix.
She is now penciled to square off against Ritu Phogat for the right to face the winner of the Stamp Fairtex-Julie Mezabarba bout on ONE: NextGen to be held Friday, October 29, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Hopefully, Denice Zamboanga is pulling for her countryman as one of her most painful losses became a path to one of Olsim’s greatest gains.
In a recent interview with local media, Olsim emphasized that one of her motivations for competing a shot for the belt is to exact for the controversial split decision loss of her compatriot in the quarterfinals.
Zamboanga, still ranked the No. 1 contender in the division, was taken out from the running due to a controversial loss to Seo Hee Ham last September 3, 2021.
Unfortunately, Ham pulled out due to injury paving way for Mezabarba to take her spot against ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion Stamp, who advanced at the expense of Alyona Rassohyna.
On the other side of the draw, Itsuki Hirata took one of the semifanl slots but eliminating Alyse Anderson.
Unfortunately, Hirata declared on Instagram that she withdrew from the semis due to high fever although clarifying she did not test positive for COVID-19.
As a result, ONE is now giving Olsim an opportunity to somewhat duplicate a “Rocky Balboa” and punch a ticket to inch nearer in wearing a championship belt, on just four days notice.
She will have her hands full against Phogat, who took out erstwhile no. 2-contender Meng Bo also in the quarterfinals at ONE: Empower.
Olsim, originally set to face Jihin Radzuan in an alternate bout at ONE: NextGen II, can make things interesting for Team Lakay and the Philippines as the crucial decision to move down to atomweight and swim among the sharks despite ranked 5th contender at strawweight she made is paying off big dividends.
By Armando M. Bolislis