Itsuki Hirata in good spirits following loss to Ham Seo Hee

Itsuki Hirata released a heartfelt statement after losing at ONE Fight Night 8 on Prime Video.

Things didn’t go as planned for Hirata against Ham Seo Hee. ‘Android 18’ had high expectations against the seasoned veteran, but she ultimately came up short. ‘Hamzzang’ used her fight IQ to avoid trouble, securing a unanimous decision.

Hirata couldn’t seem to get going against Ham, which might have been more disappointing than the loss itself. The 23-year-old reacted to the disappointing performance on Instagram by saying:

“Thank you for your support ‼︎ I'm happy to be able to play among many customers. And I was happy to be able to show everyone how I was fighting ‼︎ I'll work harder, get stronger, and practice a lot to get better ‼︎ I'm like this, but I hope you'll continue to support me😅 I'll be back! Coach, teammates, sponsors, family, fans, thank you always.I love you ‼︎”

Hirata made her ONE debut in June 2019, defeating Angelie Sabanal with a first-round submission. 'Android 18' secured two more wins under the ONE banner, both inside the distance, before joining the Atomweight Grand Prix.

The Japanese-born fighter took out Alyse Anderson in the quarterfinals before pulling out with an illness. She lost her next fight in the circle against Jihin Radzuan and bounced back five months later by defeating Heqin Lin. ‘Android 18’ must return to the drawing board after her latest loss against Ham.

Take a look at Itsuki Hirata reacting to her loss against Ham Seo Hee below:

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Itsuki Hirata hopes to live up to Chatri Sityodtong’s expectations

Itsuki Hirata has high expectations from fans and ONE Championship personnel, including CEO and Chairman Chatri Sityodtong. She received a step-up in competition against Ham Seo Hee, which didn’t go as planned for the young rising superstar. ‘Android 18’ thanked Sityodtong for his support when reacting to the loss on Instagram:

“And thank you so much for organizing the game, Chatri ceo.I will never forget the words I received from you.I will do my best to live up to your expectations.It's an honor to be able to compete in ONE Championship.Thank you.”

Although Hirata showcased several weaknesses at ONE Fight Night 8, the 23-year-old has plenty of time to evolve into a superstar. The former Judo player has moved to New York to train full-time, giving her world-class training partners and coaches the time to help her improve and become a world champion in the future.