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ONE atomweight rising star and Japanese MMA wunderkind Itsuki Hirata has done well with her improvements since her upset loss to Jihin Radzuan back in March. After her loss to the Malaysian sensation at ONE X, 'Android 18' went on a US tour to cross-train in different world-class gyms.
In preparation for her fight with China's Lin Heqin at ONE on Prime Video 1, Hirata trained with notable US gyms such as Serra BJJ in New York and 10th Planet Jiujitsu in San Diego.
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The sacrifice and hard work evidently paid off as the Japanese MMA prodigy showed massive improvements when she finally faced Lin inside the Circle. Despite eating a hefty amount of leg kicks from the Chinese striker, Itsuki Hirata remained focused and stepped in and out of range to connect with her favorite overhand right.
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Hirata's defense in the pocket was also impeccable as she exemplified a very tight shell after connecting with her combinations inside. In the end, however, it was her Judo roots that made the difference. After forcefully throwing Lin to the ground, Hirata managed to make her foe tentative enough to be vulnerable to power strikes down the pipe.
After her dominant win over the highly-touted fighter, Hirata is ready to move on from her March loss and continue her journey to the top.
Watch the full fight highlights here:
Itsuki Hirata talks about her time training at Serra BJJ Academy in New York
As previously mentioned, Itsuki Hirata spent a lot of time cross-training in US gyms in preparation for her bout with Lin Heqin. It wasn't just about preparing for the Chinese MMA stalwart, it was also about correcting her mistakes and flaws from her last fight.
After her disappointing loss to Jihin Radzuan earlier this year, 'Android 18' decided to travel to the US to train with some of the best gyms the sport has ever seen. One of the teams she trained with was Serra BJJ in New York, founded and run by MMA legend Matt Serra.
Serra, aside from being a former world champion himself, has produced some of the best world champions the sport has ever seen. Speaking to ONE Championship, Hirata shared her thoughts on training in the legendary MMA facility:
"It’s pretty close to the actual fight. I definitely train a lot each day, and just focus on getting better in all areas. I met a lot of people, and made some great connections. It was an amazing experience and I had a lot of fun."
Training with Serra surely did a lot for Itsuki Hirata as she undoubtedly improved inside the Circle. Now, 'Android 18' is ready to move forward to her next challenge in the form of South Korea's Ham Seo Hee at ONE 163. The bout, which will take place in Hirata's home country of Japan, might determine the next challenger to Angela Lee's atomweight world title.
