“I know her weakness is her ground skills” - Itsuki Hirata breaks down Lin Heqin’s skills

Krazy Bee product Itsuki Hirata will head back into the circle on August 26 when one presents its eagerly-anticipated debut on Amazon Prime Video.

The promotion will present an absolutely loaded card with some of ONE’s top competitors. In the main event of the evening, Adriano Moraes will once again defend his ONE flyweight world championship against flyweight superstar Demetrious Johnson.

Before we get to the main event, we will see a showdown between two top atomweight competitors in Japan’s Itsuki Hirata and China’s Lin Heqin. Planning to add another big win to her already impressive record of 5-1 inside thecCircle, ‘Android 18’ spoke to ONE about her upcoming bout with Heqin.

During the conversation, the Japanese prodigy gave her thoughts on Heqin’s strengths and weaknesses.

“She is an all-around fighter who knows her best distance, techniques, and combinations, and I think she is confident in her striking because she has competed in kickboxing bouts in ONE. However, if you look at her match with [Indian wrestling star] Ritu [Phogat], she was dominated on the ground and lost by points. I think this is the difference between her level of kickboxing and MMA. I know her weakness is her ground skills.”

Hirata has spent time working on her striking in the United States, training with former world champion Matt Serra at his gym in New York. Feeling more confident about her standup, it sounds like ‘Android 18’ has already determined her path to victory will be on the mat.

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Itsuki Hirata does not want to face another loss inside the circle

Storming into ONE Championship following a successful stint on a Japanese reality TV show and MMA competition, Itsuki Hirata made her presence known with four straight wins, with three by way of stoppage. It looked to be full steam ahead for the then-19-year-old prodigy.

Now 22 years old, Hirata is a bit more confident, much more experienced, and now knows how it feels to lose inside the circle. In her last outing at ONE X in March, Hirata was on the wrong side of a split decision loss to Jihin Radzuan.

While ‘Android 18’ has expressed a desire to run it back with Radzuan, her bigger focus is to avoid taking another loss, as she did at the promotion’s 10th-anniversary event.

“I don't want to have another loss [on my] record, but my opponent is also a good fighter. I can’t tell how my skills will come out in the next fight, but I don’t want to make my fight intricate.”