During their previous encounter, an accomplished judo expert went through the entire match without executing a single trademark hip toss or sweep. Over four years onward, she feels that former vulnerability has transformed into an advantage.
Itsuki Hirata is set to clash with Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan in an atomweight MMA run-back during ONE SAMURAI 4 on Saturday, October 17, hosted inside the Ariake Arena located in Tokyo, Japan.
Heading into ONE X back in 2022, “Android 18” boasted a four-fight winning streak under the promotion, having secured stoppages in three of those contests. However, Jihin stifled her ground game throughout their three-round clash to secure a tight split-decision victory, inflicting the Japanese athlete’s initial professional loss.
That setback highlighted defensive gaps hidden by her prior success, triggering a three-bout losing streak. Refusing to let those struggles dictate her path, the 27-year-old dedicated the subsequent years to fortifying those weak spots into assets.
“In our previous match, she dictated the pace and completely locked down my ground game from start to finish. However, I’ve leveled up my grappling since then, giving me a much higher probability of overcoming her. I’ve made huge strides, particularly in my submission skills,” Hirata stated.
Itsuki Hirata sets her sights on the unclaimed atomweight title
Hirata has claimed victories in two of her previous three contests, highlighted by a third-round submission victory against Ritu Phogat during ONE SAMURAI 1 in April. Meanwhile, the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship currently lacks an owner following Denice Zamboanga’s decision to vacate the strap.
The Tokyo-born fighter considers this second encounter an unofficial championship eliminator. From her perspective, the victor deserves the subsequent title shot, leaving her with absolutely zero room for mistakes.
“Initially, I was convinced Jihin was already set to challenge for the World Title next. Yet, somehow, this second match was arranged instead. Thus, as far as I’m concerned, the triumphant fighter here ought to become the top contender for the crown,” stated Hirata.
“Because of that, losing this bout isn’t an option for me. Victory is an absolute necessity. I must win, as failing to do so means I have no business bringing up the World Championship.”
This content was originally published on BJPENN.COM
