‘Absolutely Dominate’ — Selina Flores, Marie McManamon Ready To Deliver A Striking Clinic At ONE Fight Night 36
WBC Muay Thai World Champion Selina Flores and former ONE World Title challenger Marie McManamon are ready to leave it all in the ring at ONE Fight Night 36: Prajanchai vs. Di Bella II on Prime Video.
This highly anticipated atomweight Muay Thai clash will be broadcast live in U.S. primetime, on Friday, October 3, from Bangkok, Thailand.
It’s a showdown that pits two fiery female strikers against each other in what is a pivotal battle for positioning in a stacked division.
For Flores, the bout represents a chance for the American star to announce her arrival on martial arts’ biggest stage with a statement-making performance.
At the same time, McManamon will be seeking redemption following a tough promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 29 this past March. By taking on an established foe in Flores, the Knowlesy Academy product aims to prove her place among the division’s elite.
Both women had plenty to say ahead of their intriguing stylistic matchup at ONE Fight Night 36.
Flores Looks To Dominate In ONE Debut
Selina Flores arrives at ONE Fight Night 36 carrying World Championship experience and the supreme confidence that comes with it.
The San Diego native captured the WBC Super Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship last October, making her only the third American athlete to achieve that distinction.
Fondly known as “The Teep Queen,” Flores is ready to display her world-class skills when she opens her promotional account this Friday:
“I’m going to stick to the style that got me here, and I’m not going to change my style too much because I’ve been successful kicking, and I want to keep that. But I just want to add weapons now that I’m going to be in the smaller gloves.”
While confident in her abilities, Flores has done her homework on McManamon’s game.
She watched the Irish-English representative’s ONE debut against reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues a few months ago and identified what makes McManamon a tough opponent to crack.
However, the American striker believes she’s found a critical weakness to exploit:
“She has a good understanding of her range and her kicks. She’s long and she knows how to use her kicks, but I just think that they’re not damaging. They’re not very effective because they’re just too soft, from what I’ve seen from the footage.”
Sensing an area where Flores can take full advantage, the American fighter is ready to show ONE fans what makes her special.
The 27-year-old has set her expectations sky high and refuses to accept anything less than complete dominance in her ONE debut – though she’s quick to note that her repertoire extends far beyond just a single weapon.
Flores told onefc.com:
“I would say my teep and push kick, for sure, are my advantage. But that’s not my only weapon.
“Whether it is a unanimous decision, whether it’s a TKO or a KO, those are the only three options that I have in my brain. I expect nothing less of myself than to absolutely dominate her in every situation.”
McManamon Returns With Redemption On Her Mind
Marie McManamon’s debut in the world’s largest martial arts organization didn’t exactly go according to plan, but the Irish-English standout has used that setback as fuel for her return at ONE Fight Night 36.
The former Victory League and Roar Fighting Championship titleholder accepted her February clash against reigning atomweight Muay Thai queen Rodrigues at ONE Fight Night 29 on short notice.
But with a full fight camp under her belt and valuable lessons learned from facing the division’s ruler, the Knowlesy Academy representative is confident she will land in the winner’s column in her sophomore outing.
She said:
“My camp has been literally ongoing since April, and we’ve been working on stuff that I needed to improve on. I’m really excited to showcase what we’ve been working on and what I can do as well with the proper preparation and timing.”
The London-based technician has studied Flores extensively and identified what she believes is a significant vulnerability in the WBC Muay Thai World Champion’s skill set.
While “The Teep Queen” excels at controlling range with her kicks, McManamon senses discomfort when the action moves into close quarters.
The 35-year-old shared:
“She likes to dictate or control the range. But I’m not sure if she’s too comfortable when the fight gets a bit too close. So, yeah, that’s one weakness I think I have found. That’s a big advantage for me.”
McManamon believes that Flores’ supposed inability to fight in close quarters plays right into her strengths.
A crucial part of the Irish-English fighter’s style has revolved around her remarkable work in the clinch, where she packs a variety of punches, elbows, and knees to shut down opponents. This area is where the veteran striker feels most dangerous:
“I do my best work in the clinch, and I think that will be the toughest area of this fight for her. I don’t hold anything back when we fight up close, and we’ll see if she can handle things in there.”
For McManamon, the goal will always be to wear the coveted ONE gold, and so making her case for a rematch with Rodrigues remains top of mind. But the 35-year-old refuses to look past the woman in front of her.
McManamon knows that the path back to the Brazilian mom-champ runs directly through her American adversary, who will be standing across from her at ONE Fight Night 36:
“I take one fight at a time. That’s always been how I take things. Of course, I’d love to have a rematch with Allycia, but in order to get there, I need to get past Flores.
“My dream would be to get my hand raised with the best performance that I could possibly put. I want a complete victory, no matter which way you look at it. Knockout or decision, I’d be ready.”
