"I am here to stay" - Victoria Souza proud to showcase her abilities in stunning submission win over Itsuki Hirata

Victoria Souza came into ONE 167 with a major task in front of her for the fourth outing of her ONE Championship career. The Brazilian competitor is best known for her striking skills having come into MMA from a Muay Thai background. However, at the Impact Arena on June 7, it was her submission game that led to the biggest win of her career to date.

In the second fight of the night, she came up against Japanese standout Itsuki Hirata who is known for her grappling skills. Hirata was able to get her hands on her opponent, but it ended up being to her detriment due to the following events.

Souza locked in a guillotine choke and was able to get the tap inside the first round to bounce back from her defeat to Noelle Grandjean in March.

In an interview with Sportskeeda MMA after the fight, she spoke about wanting to make a statement by showing everyone what she is capable of:

"I came early, probably 15 days before the fight, to feel the climate and training Muay Thai here in the midst of the climate. And in this fight, I showed to the audience why I am here to stay, who I am as a fighter."

Watch the full interview below:

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Victoria Souza certainly made an impression

If she aimed to prove that she wasn't going anywhere, Victoria Souza certainly did that with her performance on June 7.

Her form inside the circle hasn't been flawless so far, with equal wins and losses under the ONE Championship banner. A win like this, however, could be her turning point.

Hirata was in need of a bounce-back victory but her previous defeats to top-tier competitors in Ham Seo Hee and Ayaka Miura were by no means this decisive or impressive.

Souza grabbed the moment with both hands and took the narrative for herself at the Impact Arena.

ONE 167 is available to watch back in full for free via Prime Video for US and Canadian viewers with an active subscription.