Itsuki Hirata faces weigh-in worries ahead of ONE Fight Night 8

March 23, 2023
From: Spartacus

Itsuki Hirata acknowledges that attempting to gain weight causes her a lot of worry.

As she works to lose weight in preparation for her return to the circle this Friday night, Itsuki Hirata acknowledges that she is experiencing a lot of worry.

When ‘Android 18’ competes against No. 2 ranked atomweight contender Ham Seo Hee at ONE Fight Night 8 on Prime Video, she hopes to record the greatest victory of her mixed martial arts career.

Hirata will need to step on the scale and complete her hydration test before she can enter the circle, both of which have historically been challenging for her.

Hirata spoke with ONE Championship about her worries about gaining weight hours before her next planned hydration test and weigh-in.

“I am full of anxiety, but I will believe in myself and see it through.”

She was supposed to fight Ham at ONE 163 in November, but after failing multiple hydration tests, Ham was forced to decide whether to proceed with the fight as planned or to cancel it entirely. She chose the latter, criticizing Itsuski Hirata for acting improperly right away. Even worse, Hirata faced criticism from followers on social media, which prompted the Japanese star to take a break from online communities for a while.

“Android 18” was open and honest about her weigh-in worries and the challenges of safely losing weight before a fight. She is unquestionably appreciative of the chance to reschedule her fight with Ham Seo Hee.

“It’s always tough,” Hirata says.

Prior to ONE Fight Night 8, Ham Seo Hee anticipates Itsuki Hirata will make weight.

Nobody criticized “Android 18” more harshly than Ham Seo Hee when Itsuki Hirata didn’t make weight for their November match. Although this was the case, “Hamzzang” was more than happy to offer Hirata another chance to lift the weight and enter the circle with her.

“I was open and ready to fight other fighters, but I did want to fight Itsuki Hirata because we were supposed to fight, and as long as she got her weight and hydration issues resolved I was willing to fight. That’s why I said yes.” said Seo Hee.

Ham Seo Hee is anxious to return to the ring and secure her 26th career victory because a match for the ONE world championship is on the line. On Friday night, she thinks she will have the chance to face Itsuki Hirata. If Hirata appears overweight or dehydrated for their second date, Ham will have no issue humiliating her despite his confidence.

Seo Hee remarks, “I really believe she will be able to make the weight. If she’s unable to, that’s unacceptable.”

When it comes to MMA grappling, Itsuki Hirata acknowledges that she still has a lot to learn

Itsuki Hirata thinks there is still a lot she needs to learn about fighting in the mixed martial arts community.

Since she started practicing judo at the Kodokan Judo Institute when she was just six years old, “Android 18” has a solid judo foundation. Hirata’s goal as she developed was to compete for her nation at the Olympics. She had to give up on that goal, sadly, due to injuries she sustained throughout middle and high school. However, another path always opens when one does.

She then focused on mixed martial arts, where she was able to use her judo abilities to their fullest, landing a deal with ONE Championship in the process. Itsuki Hirata is aware that despite her early success, she still needs to improve significantly if she wants to be the best in MMA. Hirata discussed her experience with grappling and how it relates to mixed martial arts in an interview with the company.

“I acknowledge that while I come from a strong judo and grappling background, MMA is different from those sports, and I feel like I still have a lot to learn when it comes to MMA grappling.”

 

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