Seo Hee Ham glad to see fellow Korean fighters thriving in MMA: ‘I am very proud and happy’
The legendary veteran challenges for the interim women’s atomweight MMA title at ONE Fight Night 14 on September 29.
Seo Hee Ham (26-8) is just one of the athletes from Team MAD leading the way for ONE Championship’s contingent of South Korean stars.
“Hamzzang” will look to add another trophy to the Busan-based gym’s cabinet when she faces Thai superstar Stamp Fairtex (10-2) for the ONE interim women’s atomweight MMA world title in the ONE Fight Night 14 main event on September 29, and she’s proud to be flying the flag for her country in such a huge battle.
Team MAD is one of Asia’s top gyms. Along with Ham, it boasts both former ONE lightweight MMA world champion Ok Rae Yoon and flyweight contender Woo Sung Hoon on its roster.
Ok took part in ONE’s debut event on U.S. soil, ONE Fight Night 10, this past May, where he rebounded from his world title loss to Christian Lee last year to score a unanimous decision victory over local hero Lowen Tynanes.
Ham was proud to see her compatriot and training partner get back into the winner’s column, and she says that she draws inspiration from both him and Woo as she prepares to take on Stamp at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
“Of course, I tuned in to watch Ok Rae Yoon’s match and rooted for him. He’s an incredibly dedicated and skilled fighter, and I believe he’ll continue to excel in his career. I hope that he achieves his goal of becoming a champion soon,” she said.
“(Ok and Woo) inspire and encourage each other with strength and motivation. As we watch each other put in dedicated efforts, everyone seems motivated and growing in strength.”
“Hamzzang” doesn’t restrict herself to her Team MAD teammates when looking proudly at the South Korean athletes competing in ONE.
After a well-travelled career that has seen her amass an impressive 26-8 record, it’s the success of all her compatriots that drives the 36-year-old to continue leading the way for the talent-rich nation.
“So many Korean fighters are doing well, so I am very proud and happy. It also motivates me to work even harder. I hope to see many young Korean promising fighters work hard, perform excellently, and succeed in their future endeavors,” Ham said.
“I also hope that the ONE Championship tournament will take place in Korea in the near future. Although we don’t know when it will be, I’d be thrilled to fight in front of Korean fans if it does.”