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Japanese rising star Itsuki Hirata is already making waves within ONE Championship, having won five of her first six bouts. Prior to her match at ONE 163, 'Android 18' revealed how she'd fight the division's atomweight champion, Angela Lee.
Hirata is scheduled to share the ONE circle with the No.2-ranked atomweight Seo Hee Ham in her next outing. Needless to say, a win for Hirata could very well earn her a title shot.
In a recent conversation with MMA Sucka, the 23-year-old spoke about her thoughts regarding a possible title fight with Lee. Hirata said:
"I can’t imagine how the five minutes and five rounds fight will be like. It’s almost a total of 30 minutes of fighting. I need much more hard training for a five-round game for sure. I think Angela has good grappling skills so I would like to use my striking skills then."
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Before setting up a meeting with Angela Lee, Hirata must first get past MMA veteran Seo Hee Ham. 'Hamderlei Silva' is 2-0 since joining ONE in 2021, and prior to that, she picked up three straight wins for RIZIN.
Itsuki Hirata vs. Seo Hee Ham at ONE Championship 163
'Android 18' has been nothing short of spectacular since signing with ONE in 2019. Hirata scored finishes in her first three appearances. Since 2021, she has gone 2-1, with her lone defeat coming via a split decision against Jihin Radzuan.
In a recent interview with ONE, Hirata discussed what separates her from her upcoming opponent:
“My strong point is [that I have] nothing to lose. I think my opponent has too much to lose. She feels a lot of pressure, I think. She thinks too much about having to win or that she doesn’t want to lose to a young fighter.”
Seo Hee Ham is 12 years older than Hirata, which the Japanese star believes leans to her advantage. The stakes are immensely high in this matchup, with the winner possibly earning a title shot against Angela Lee.
Be sure to watch Itsuki Hirata take on Seo Hee Ham in an atomweight showdown at ONE 163 on November 19, live from Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Check out Itsuki Hirata's top ONE Championship highlights below:
