ONE 173 preview and prediction: Stamp Fairtex vs. Kana Morimoto

Following a two-year hiatus after recovering from a harrowing knee injury, ONE Championship’s only three-sport queen Stamp Fairtex will return to action at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Nori.

On Nov. 16, live from Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, the 27-year-old will face hometown bet Kana Morimoto in an atomweight kickboxing battle.

Stamp’s comeback fight takes place in her comfort zone, under kickboxing rules, which is by design.

The Fairtex Training Center affiliate opted to revisit her striking roots before easing her way back to mixed martial arts and reclaiming her atomweight MMA world title.

To say that Stamp has had a rough time these last few years would be a massive understatement.

Her troubles began when she suffered a torn meniscus during training in 2024.

Things went from bad to worse when she suffered a setback in her rehabilitation, forcing her to go back to square one and, eventually, relinquish her 26 pounds of gold.

Now back to 100 percent, Stamp seeks vindication and is eager to prove she is still one of the finest female fighters in the world.

But her first challenge is far from easy, since she must best a Japanese veteran who’s also seeking redemption.

Kana fell short in her bid to capture the ONE atomweight kickboxing world title from Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom at ONE 172 in March.

The pain of losing in front of her devoted Japanese peers still lingers for ‘Krusher Queen’, and she’s motivated to erase that bitter memory with a big win over one of the biggest names in the promotion.

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Prediction: Kana defeats Stamp via unanimous decision

Two years is a lot of time on the shelf, and I expect Stamp to shake off some cobwebs to start this fight.

Her eagerness will be there, but her timing and rhythm could be off after her lengthy break. This will be Kana's chance to get an early lead, and I expect her to do so using her lightning-fast hands.

'Krusher Queen's' pristine movement should shine early, allowing her to weave in and out to land some strikes and avoid the incoming retaliation.

But Stamp should get her bearings in the mid-point, especially if she finds a home for her punishing body strikes.

Her counterstriking could be key if she can catch Kana going in and land her piercing knees.

She must also be wary of her foe's calf kicks – a signature of Japanese fighters in ONE.

I see this fight going the distance, and I believe Kana's speed and precise attacks will be too much for the returning Thai superstar.