Itsuki Hirata wants to put on a show and ‘share good feelings’ with fans

ONE atomweight contender, Itsuki Hirata, is going into her next fight with renewed energy thanks to all the positive vibes around her.

The Japanese judoka is just hours away from clashing with No. 2 contender Ham Seo Hee at ONE Fight Night 8 on Prime Video. The two women have been waiting for this moment since last November. However, since Hirata missed the scales on the eve of their fight, the highly-anticipated showdown was postponed.

Despite all the criticism she received from Ham, Hirata doesn’t want to add more fire to the drama. Instead, she wants to practice gratitude and project positive energy to the rest of the world.

Speaking to SCMP MMA, she said:

“I’m very happy that I can fight and that I got the fight with her, that’s it. I want to bring a great fight in the morning in Asia. I want everyone to be happy and I want to be happy as well. I want to share good feelings with everyone.”

Itsuki Hirata will return to the circle with a bit of momentum following a decision victory over Lin Hequin at ONE on Prime Video 1 last August. The much-needed win earned her a shot at one of the top fighters in the division, Ham Seo Hee.

The South Korean veteran has only fought twice under the promotion, earning back-to-back wins against Filipino slugger Denice Zamboanga in under two years. Although she’s not as active as Hirata, the former Jewels and Road FC champion is a prolific finisher with a hunger to become the next atomweight world champion.

Watch ONE Fight Night 8 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video.

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Itsuki Hirata says she wants to work her way up to a world title shot

If Itsuki Hirata beats the No. 2-ranked atomweight in the division this Friday, there’s a strong chance that a world title shot may come next.

However, Hirata believes there’s still a long road ahead of her before she gets her shot. Knowing where she stands better than anyone else, the 23-year-old feels she still has time on her side to squeeze in a couple of more wins.

While many fans would already like to see her face someone like Stamp Fairtex or Angela Lee, Itsuki Hirata believes she still has a lot to prove before that happens.

Speaking to ONE, ‘Android 18’ explained:

“While the title shot is important, there are still many opponents I want to defeat. I want to become a fighter who is deserving of the championship and can make everyone understand that.”