ONE SAMURAI 1: Itsuki Hirata Plans Finish Against Indian Superstar Ritu Phogat On April 29

Japanese fighter Itsuki Hirata will challenge Indian MMA superstar Ritu Phogat in an atomweight clash at ONE SAMURAI 1 on 29 April, seeking to reverse her recent struggles and prove her elite credentials remain intact.

The 26-year-old brings a martial arts background rooted in judo, translating those techniques into dangerous submission skills and devastating ground-and-pound attacks. Hirata carries seven career victories with six ONE Championship wins including three finishes.

Standing across from her will be Phogat, a 31-year-old Indian wrestling icon carrying a 7-4 MMA record. After dominating the wrestling world, Phogat transitioned to mixed martial arts and won seven of her first eight fights, earning a spot in the ONE Atomweight MMA World Grand Prix Final.

Hirata has studied Phogat extensively, identifying wrestling as her opponent's primary strength while believing weaknesses exist outside that discipline. The Japanese judoka hasn't altered her training significantly, focusing instead on executing her game plan regardless of what Phogat brings.

"She's strong in wrestling, you can tell from her background, especially with her takedowns. I think her weakness is outside of wrestling. I still see her as a wrestler, and I've just been training to execute what I want to do. So, I have not really changed," Hirata said.

"Android 18" anticipates Phogat will hunt takedowns aggressively, viewing those grappling exchanges as opportunities rather than threats. Hirata believes her judo background and submission skills give her advantages even from bottom position.

"I expect her to grapple, but in those situations, I believe I'll have my chances, so I want to be fully prepared even if I get taken down. In striking and on the ground, I feel like I have more options, but in the end, you never know until you engage," she said.

Hirata envisions ending the fight through grappling, the domain where both fighters excel but with contrasting approaches. The judoka plans to attack relentlessly from the opening bell, hunting the finish that would revitalize her title aspirations.

"I want to finish the fight with my grappling, which is my strength, and get the win, so I can move forward to the next one. I want to go all out from the start, focus only on winning, and fight hard for five minutes in all three rounds," Hirata said.