1. Overview
Nadthawan Panthong (ณัฐวรรณ พานทองThai, born November 16, 1997), widely recognized by her professional name Stamp Fairtex (แสตมป์ แฟร์เท็กซ์Thai), is a trailblazing Thai Muay Thai fighter, kickboxer, and mixed martial artist. Currently signed with ONE Championship, she holds the distinction of being the reigning ONE Women's Atomweight MMA World Champion. Stamp Fairtex has made history as the organization's first-ever three-sport world champion, a testament to her exceptional versatility and skill across multiple disciplines, having previously held the ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship and the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Championship. Her journey, marked by early success in striking arts and a determined progression into mixed martial arts, underscores her significant impact on women's martial arts globally.
2. Early Life and Martial Arts Introduction
Nadthawan Panthong's martial arts journey began at a very young age, influenced by her family's background in Muay Thai. Her formative years were characterized by a deep immersion in the sport, which not only provided her with a means of self-defense but also laid the foundation for her future professional career.
2.1. Childhood and Initial Training
Born on November 16, 1997, in Rayong Province, Thailand, Nadthawan Panthong was introduced to Muay Thai at the age of five. Her father, a former Muay Thai fighter who competed under the name Wisanlek Lukbangplasoy, was her first trainer. She began training to overcome bullying she experienced at school. Just one year after starting her training, she competed in her first fight, securing a victory by knockout with knee strikes. As she developed her skills, she went on to become a Muay Thai champion of a local stadium and achieved the impressive feat of becoming a two-division Eastern Thailand champion. Her early career and the challenges she faced were even featured in the 2012 documentary, Buffalo Girls. Despite her early success, Stamp took an eight-year hiatus from Muay Thai during her teenage years due to difficulties in finding suitable opponents in her hometown region, coupled with a general scarcity of women's Muay Thai fights being held at the time.
2.2. Joining Fairtex and Multi-Sport Development
At the age of 18, Panthong moved to the Fairtex Gym in Pattaya, Thailand. This move marked a pivotal moment in her career, as it was at Fairtex that she began to broaden her martial arts repertoire beyond Muay Thai. She commenced training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), embracing the grappling discipline. Her dedication to BJJ quickly yielded results, as she won a gold medal at the 2019 Siam Cup BJJ tournament in the women's gi 129 lb (58.5 kg) class, demonstrating her nascent skills in the sport.
3. Professional Career
Stamp Fairtex's professional career within ONE Championship has been defined by her ambitious pursuit of excellence across multiple martial arts disciplines. Her journey encompasses significant achievements in both striking and grappling, culminating in her unprecedented status as a three-sport world champion.
3.1. Muay Thai and Kickboxing Career
Stamp Fairtex first gained significant recognition in the striking disciplines, competing in ONE Championship's all-striking ONE Super Series. Her swift rise to prominence was marked by her simultaneous acquisition of two world titles.
3.1.1. Rise to Double World Champion
Stamp made her ONE Championship debut on October 6, 2018, at ONE Championship: Kingdom of Heroes. In this event, she challenged Kai Ting Chuang for the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Championship. She secured a victory by unanimous decision, claiming her first ONE world title. Following this success, she was scheduled to compete for the inaugural ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship against Janet Todd at ONE Championship: Call to Greatness on February 22, 2019. Stamp once again won by unanimous decision, thereby securing the ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship and becoming ONE Championship's first-ever two-sport world champion.
3.1.2. Title Defenses and Losses
After becoming a double champion, Stamp Fairtex defended her ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Championship against Alma Juniku at ONE Championship: Legendary Quest on June 15, 2019, successfully retaining her title with a unanimous decision victory. However, her reign as a double champion eventually saw some challenges. Following three consecutive mixed martial arts bouts, Stamp faced Janet Todd for a second time to defend her ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE Championship: King of the Jungle on February 28, 2020. In a closely contested fight, Stamp lost the title to Todd via split decision, marking her first professional career loss within ONE Championship. Later that year, on August 28, 2020, at ONE Championship: A New Breed, she defended her Atomweight Muay Thai belt against Allycia Rodrigues. After five rounds, Stamp lost the title to Rodrigues by majority decision, thereby relinquishing her second world title. In January 2023, an interim ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Championship bout against Anissa Meksen was announced but was subsequently canceled due to Meksen's grievances regarding her treatment by the promotion.
3.2. Mixed Martial Arts Career
Stamp Fairtex's transition and development in mixed martial arts have been a significant aspect of her professional career, showcasing her determination to become a champion in a third discipline.
3.2.1. ONE Warrior Series and Early Fights
Stamp's foray into mixed martial arts began after she was scouted by Rich Franklin. Her MMA debut took place at ONE Warrior Series 2 on July 19, 2018, where she achieved a remarkable knockout victory over Rashi Shinde with a head kick in just 19 seconds of the first round. This impressive win earned her a contract with ONE Championship. In 2019, Stamp openly expressed her ambition to continue competing in MMA within ONE Championship, with the ultimate goal of becoming an MMA world champion. She made her official ONE Championship MMA debut against Asha Roka at ONE Championship: Dreams of Gold on August 16, 2019, winning by submission via rear-naked choke at 1:29 of the third round. Following this submission victory, she was awarded her blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by De'Alonzio Jackson.
Stamp continued her MMA ascent, facing Bi Nguyen at ONE Championship: Masters of Fate on November 8, 2019. She dominated all three rounds with her superior Muay Thai-based striking, securing a unanimous decision win. Her next opponent was Puja Tomar at ONE Championship: A New Tomorrow on January 10, 2020, whom she defeated by TKO via ground and pound at 4:27 of the first round. Leading up to the fight with Tomar, Stamp expressed interest in facing Mei Yamaguchi, a fighter known for her high-class wrestling skills, to test and improve her own grappling abilities. She publicly stated her need to strengthen her ground game to prepare for potential future challenges against well-rounded champions like Angela Lee. On July 31, 2020, at ONE Championship: No Surrender, she extended her MMA winning streak to five with a first-round TKO victory over Sunisa Srisen.
Her winning streak, however, came to an end when she faced Alyona Rassohyna at ONE Championship: Unbreakable 3 on January 22, 2021. Despite controlling the majority of the fight, Stamp suffered her first MMA loss via a last-effort guillotine choke submission in the closing seconds of the third round. This fight sparked some controversy, as Stamp initially contended that she did not tap, though media outlets generally concluded that she had indeed submitted.
3.2.2. ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix
Following her first MMA loss, Stamp Fairtex entered the 2021 ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix, which provided her with a path towards another title shot. She faced Alyona Rassohyna in a highly anticipated rematch as the quarterfinal bout of the Grand Prix at ONE Championship: Empower on September 3, 2021 (the event was initially scheduled for May but postponed due to COVID-19). Stamp avenged her previous loss by winning the bout via split decision, advancing to the semifinals.
In the semi-final, Stamp was initially slated to face Seo Hee Ham at ONE Championship: NextGen on October 29, 2021. However, Ham withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Julie Mezabarba. Stamp won the fight against Mezabarba by unanimous decision, securing her spot in the Grand Prix final. The Grand Prix final saw Stamp face Ritu Phogat at ONE: Winter Warriors on December 3, 2021. In a dominant performance, Stamp defeated Phogat by submission via armbar in the second round, thereby winning the 2021 ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix Championship.
3.2.3. Post-Grand Prix Challenges and Title Acquisition Process
After winning the Grand Prix, Stamp earned the right to challenge the reigning ONE Women's Atomweight Champion, Angela Lee, at ONE: X on March 26, 2022. Despite hurting Lee with a liver punch in the first round, Stamp ultimately lost the bout by submission via rear-naked choke in the second round.
Stamp then faced Jihin Radzuan at ONE on Prime Video 2 on October 1, 2022. During the weigh-ins, Radzuan missed weight, coming in at 120.25 lb (120.25 lb), 5.25 lb (5.25 lb) over the atomweight non-title fight limit, resulting in a fine of 30% of her purse, which was awarded to Stamp. Stamp won the fight by unanimous decision. Prior to this bout, Stamp was scheduled for a mixed-rules contest against Anissa Meksen at ONE on Prime Video 6 on January 14, 2023. Meksen, who had publicly called Stamp a "dancer," failed to appear at the weigh-ins, leading to the cancellation of their fight. In response to Meksen's taunt, Fairtex highlighted her own achievement of holding both the ONE Atomweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing titles simultaneously, asserting her credentials as a "real fighter." As a result of the cancellation, Stamp was rescheduled to face Anna Jaroonsak in a strawweight kickboxing bout at the same event. Stamp won this fight by split decision and was awarded a 50.00 K USD bonus.
On May 5, 2023, Stamp faced Alyse Anderson at ONE Fight Night 10. She secured a decisive victory by knockout via body kick in the second round, earning another 50.00 K USD bonus.
3.2.4. Becoming ONE Women's Atomweight World Champion
The culmination of Stamp's mixed martial arts career came on September 29, 2023, when she faced Seo Hee Ham at ONE Fight Night 14. This bout was initially scheduled for the interim ONE Women's Atomweight title. However, during the event, the reigning champion Angela Lee announced her retirement and vacated her title. Consequently, the fight between Stamp and Ham became for the vacant undisputed ONE Women's Atomweight World Championship. Stamp defeated Ham by third-round technical knockout with body punches, solidifying her status as the new ONE Women's Atomweight World Champion. This victory was monumental, as it made Stamp Fairtex ONE Championship's first-ever three-sport world champion, an unprecedented achievement in the organization's history across Muay Thai, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts.
3.3. Recent Career and Injury Layoff
After securing her third world title, Stamp Fairtex was scheduled to make her first title defense against former teammate Denice Zamboanga on March 1, 2024, at ONE 166. However, the bout was postponed to June 8, 2024, at ONE 167, to accommodate the filming of an original docuseries featuring the fighters. On May 21, 2024, it was announced that Stamp had to withdraw from the bout due to a meniscus injury, which required surgery. This injury also forced her to withdraw from a highly anticipated fight against ONE Women's Strawweight World Champion Xiong Jing Nan, which was scheduled for September 6, 2024, at ONE 168, where Stamp aimed to become the first female two-division champion in ONE Championship history.
4. Titles and Accomplishments
Stamp Fairtex has amassed an impressive collection of titles and honors across her diverse martial arts career, highlighting her exceptional skill and dominance in multiple disciplines.
4.1. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Siam Cup BJJ: 2019 Siam Cup BJJ Women's Gi 129 lb (58.5 kg) - 1st place
4.2. Kickboxing
- ONE Championship:
- ONE Women's Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion (one time; former)
- Performance of the Night (one time) vs. Anna Jaroonsak
4.3. Mixed Martial Arts
- ONE Championship:
- ONE Women's Atomweight World Champion (one time; current)
- Performance of the Night (two times) vs. Seo Hee Ham and Alyse Anderson
- 2021 ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix Champion
- MMA Female Fighter of the Year 2021
- 2022 MMA Fight of the Year (vs. Angela Lee at ONE: X)
4.4. Muay Thai
- ONE Championship:
- ONE Women's Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion (one time; former)
- One successful title defense
- ONE Women's Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion (one time; former)
- Thepprasit Stadium:
- Thepprasit Stadium Light Flyweight (108 lb (108 lb)) Champion (one time; former)
5. Legacy and Evaluation
Stamp Fairtex's impact on the martial arts world, particularly for women, is profound. Her unique achievements and compelling performances have cemented her status as a pioneering figure.
5.1. Impact as a Multi-Sport Champion
Stamp Fairtex holds a unique and significant place in martial arts history as ONE Championship's first-ever three-sport world champion. This unprecedented accomplishment, spanning Muay Thai, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts, underscores her exceptional versatility and adaptability across vastly different combat sports disciplines. Her success has not only elevated her own career but has also inspired countless aspiring female martial artists, demonstrating the potential for women to excel at the highest levels across multiple disciplines. Her trailblazing journey is particularly noteworthy as it highlights the dedication and skill required to master both striking and grappling arts at an elite level, paving the way for future generations of multi-talented athletes.
5.2. Notable Fights and Awards
Throughout her career, Stamp Fairtex has been recognized for her captivating fights and outstanding performances. Her bout against Angela Lee at ONE: X was lauded as the "2022 MMA Fight of the Year," showcasing her resilience and offensive capabilities against a dominant champion. In 2021, her exceptional performances in mixed martial arts earned her the "MMA Female Fighter of the Year 2021" award, a testament to her rapid development and impact in the sport. Additionally, her electrifying finishes and dominant displays, such as her knockout victory over Alyse Anderson and her title-clinching TKO against Seo Hee Ham, have frequently earned her performance bonuses, further solidifying her reputation as an exciting and high-impact fighter.
5.3. Controversies and Challenges
While Stamp Fairtex's career has been largely marked by success and acclaim, she has also faced some notable challenges and minor controversies. A significant moment of debate occurred during her first mixed martial arts loss to Alyona Rassohyna in January 2021. In the final seconds of their fight, Stamp was caught in a guillotine choke, and while the referee stopped the bout due to submission, Stamp initially contested that she had not tapped out. Although media outlets generally concluded that a tap did occur, the incident sparked discussion among fans and analysts. Another instance involved a public spat with fellow striker Anissa Meksen, who referred to Stamp as a "dancer." Stamp, however, countered by emphasizing her multiple world titles in ONE Championship, asserting her credentials as a legitimate fighter across various disciplines. These instances, while challenging, have done little to diminish her overall standing as a respected and accomplished athlete.
6. Personal Life
Beyond her fighting career, Stamp Fairtex maintains a relatively private personal life. She was born in Rayong Province, Thailand, and later moved to Pattaya to train at the renowned Fairtex Gym, which became an integral part of her professional identity, influencing her ring name. Her family background, particularly her father's history as a Muay Thai fighter, played a crucial role in her early introduction to martial arts.
7. Mixed Martial Arts Record
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 11-2 | Ham Seo-hee | TKO (punches to the body) | ONE Fight Night 14 | September 30, 2023 | 3 | 1:04 | Kallang, Singapore | Won the vacant ONE Women's Atomweight Championship (115 lb). Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 10-2 | Alyse Anderson | KO (body kick) | ONE Fight Night 10 | May 5, 2023 | 2 | 2:27 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 9-2 | Jihin Radzuan | Decision (unanimous) | ONE on Prime Video 2 | October 1, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Kallang, Singapore | Catchweight (120.75 lb (120.75 lb)) bout; Radzuan missed weight. |
| Loss | 8-2 | Angela Lee | Submission (rear-naked choke) | ONE: X | March 26, 2022 | 2 | 4:50 | Kallang, Singapore | For the ONE Women's Atomweight Championship (115 lb). |
| Win | 8-1 | Ritu Phogat | Submission (armbar) | ONE: Winter Warriors | December 3, 2021 | 2 | 2:14 | Kallang, Singapore | Won the ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix. |
| Win | 7-1 | Julie Mezabarba | Decision (unanimous) | ONE: NextGen | October 29, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Kallang, Singapore | ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix Semifinal. |
| Win | 6-1 | Alyona Rassohyna | Decision (split) | ONE: Empower | September 3, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Kallang, Singapore | ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal. |
| Loss | 5-1 | Alyona Rassohyna | Submission (guillotine choke) | ONE: Unbreakable 3 | January 22, 2021 | 3 | 4:53 | Kallang, Singapore | |
| Win | 5-0 | Sunisa Srisen | TKO (punches) | ONE: No Surrender | July 31, 2020 | 1 | 3:57 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| Win | 4-0 | Puja Tomar | TKO (punches and elbows) | ONE: A New Tomorrow | January 10, 2020 | 1 | 4:27 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| Win | 3-0 | Bi Nguyen | Decision (unanimous) | ONE: Masters of Fate | November 8, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Pasay, Philippines | |
| Win | 2-0 | Asha Roka | Submission (rear-naked choke) | ONE: Dreams of Gold | August 16, 2019 | 3 | 1:29 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| Win | 1-0 | Rashi Shinde | KO (head kick) | ONE Warrior Series 2 | July 19, 2018 | 1 | 0:19 | Jurong, Singapore | Strawweight debut. |
8. Muay Thai and Kickboxing Record
Stamp Fairtex holds an overall Muay Thai record of 64 Wins, 17 Losses, and 5 Draws. The following table highlights a selection of her notable professional fights within ONE Championship and other significant bouts.
| Res. | Date | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | January 14, 2023 | Supergirl Jaroonsak | ONE on Prime Video 6 | Bangkok, Thailand | Decision (Split) | 3 | 3:00 | Kickboxing bout. |
| Loss | August 28, 2020 | Allycia Rodrigues | ONE Championship: A New Breed | Bangkok, Thailand | Decision (Majority) | 5 | 3:00 | Lost ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Title. |
| Loss | February 28, 2020 | Janet Todd | ONE Championship: King of the Jungle | Kallang, Singapore | Decision (Split) | 5 | 3:00 | Lost ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Title. |
| Win | June 15, 2019 | Alma Juniku | ONE Championship: Legendary Quest | Shanghai, China | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | Defended ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Title. |
| Win | February 22, 2019 | Janet Todd | ONE Championship: Call to Greatness | Kallang, Singapore | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | Won ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Title. |
| Win | October 6, 2018 | Kai Ting Chuang | ONE Championship: Kingdom of Heroes | Bangkok, Thailand | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | Won ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Title. |
| Win | March 28, 2017 | Sylvie Petchrungruang | Thepprasit Stadium | Pattaya, Thailand | Decision | 5 | 3:00 | Won the 108 lb (108 lb) Thepprasit Stadium title. |
| Win | August 13, 2016 | Saokhonkaen Sor Sompol | PPTV Muay Thai Fight Night | Bangkok, Thailand | Decision | 3 | 3:00 |