Itsuki Hirata And Jihin Radzuan Settle Unfinished Business In Highly Anticipated Rematch At ONE SAMURAI 4
Two established fan favorites look to reassert their standing at the top of a talent-laden women’s atomweight MMA division at ONE SAMURAI 4.
Itsuki “Android 18” Hirata and Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan will settle unfinished business when they meet in a pivotal atomweight MMA rematch, which emanates live from Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday, October 17.
Hirata originally burst onto the global stage with real fanfare, backing up her widespread popularity with formidable judo skills. The 27-year-old ignited her promotional tenure with a flawless 4-0 run that featured three finishes.
However, that momentum came to a screeching halt when her path first crossed with Jihin’s at the historic ONE X in 2022.
Entering the highly anticipated bout as the clear favorite, the Tokyo native found her signature hip throws repeatedly neutralized by the resilient Malaysian underdog. Jihin executed clever escapes and expertly timed strikes to control the exchanges, ultimately leaving Hirata trailing on the judges’ scorecards to secure a split-decision upset.
Since that painful defeat, Hirata has navigated a difficult stretch with characteristic resilience. Wins in two of her last three outings signal a fighter steadily rediscovering her form.
That resurgence was highlighted by a third-round rear-naked choke submission over Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat, elevating her career record to 8-5. A victory over Jihin would settle a long-standing score and thrust her back into the conversation for the vacant ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title.
Standing across from her is one of the most well-rounded martial artists in the division. The Fairtex Training Center and Foxgloves Fight Gym representative carries a 10-5 professional record featuring nine promotional victories since debuting in 2018.
Alongside signature triumphs over Hirata and former World Title challenger Mei “V.V” Yamaguchi, Jihin held her own in fiercely contested battles against former ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga, former three-sport queen Stamp Fairtex, and highly regarded Japanese contender Chihiro Sawada.
The Johor Bahru native’s evolving game was on full display at ONE Fight Night 40 in February, when she handed promotional debutant Gabriela “Gabi” Fujimoto a rude welcome by stopping her in the third round and snapping her unbeaten record.
Now, “Shadow Cat” carries additional motivation into Tokyo. Eager to bounce back after she dropped a closely contested split decision to Anastasia “Anniemale” Nikolakakos at ONE Fight Night 45 this past July, Jihin seeks another defining performance.
Jihin enters determined to reassert her dominance in the rivalry, while Hirata is driven by long-awaited redemption. A definitive win would easily shift the tide for either woman and keep the victor firmly in the hunt for the vacant ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title.
