ONE Championship: India’s Arti Khatri And Japan’s Itsuki Hirata Share Their Thoughts Ahead Of 15 August Clash

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The opening bout of ONE Friday Fights 120 has all the makings of a barnburner. Two women's MMA fighters will take centre stage after being away from the all-encompassing sport for quite a long time.

On 15 August, India's Arti Khatri will take on Japan's Itsuki Hirata in an atomweight MMA contest at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. "The Destroyer" last competed in 2021, while Hirata fought in June 2024. The pair will be looking to make a strong comeback with a statement win.

The undefeated Delhi native is elated to get the opportunity to fight on the global stage. The date of her return fight makes this matchup more interesting. Aware of "Android 18's" well-rounded game, Khatri has remained focussed on her preparations.

"I am very excited because after such a long time, I'm going to get an opportunity on such a big platform. I want to win there. I want to wave my country's flag. It's 15 August (Independence Day), so I want to come back with a victory," Khatri said.

"Everyone has equal strength. No matter how strong the opponent is, you should have that much confidence in your training. Hirata has good takedowns, she has a judo background so she can take you down from anywhere. I am preparing myself keeping this in mind."

The Japanese sensation made her ONE debut at the age of 19, racking up four impressive victories over tough challengers. She appeared to be on track strong for a title shot, but her momentum was derailed. In next five outing, Hirata managed to win only one fight.

After a lacklustre performance and heartbreaking results, the 25-year-old took break, and now she is ready to roar again. Hirata has studied her opponent and believes she will be ready for her.

"I'm feeling really good - just excited, honestly. I'm looking forward to it. After my [back-to-back] loss, I was so shocked and down that there was a time I didn't even want to watch fights. I shut myself off from a lot of it," Hirata said.

"She can strike and grapple. She's been away from competition for a while, but I'm expecting her to come in even better than before, so I have to push the pace. If she brings the fight to me, I think that could actually work in my favour."