Itsuki Hirata on Facing Chihiro Sawada: “The Best Judoka in This Division Is Me” | ONE 173

tsuki Hirata is back in action at ONE 173 in Tokyo, taking on fellow Japanese contender Chihiro Sawada in an all-Japanese atomweight showdown. Hirata opens up about fighting at home, her focus on striking improvements, and why she believes she’s still the top judoka in the division. The Japanese star also discusses her goal to return to form after recent setbacks, unfinished business with Ritu Phogat, and her thoughts on a potential future matchup with Stamp Fairtex. Confident, focused, and back to her best — Hirata promises fans a strong performance on fight night. Time Codes: 0:00 – Itsuki Hirata ahead of her fight with Chihiro Sawada 0:25 – On facing another Japanese opponent in Tokyo 0:50 – “The best judoka in this division is me” 1:20 – Expecting a fight full of scrambles and ground exchanges 1:45 – “I’ll test my striking this time” 2:10 – Keeping her best weapons secret 2:30 – On returning to form after setbacks 3:00 – “Winning is what matters right now — one fight at a time” 3:35 – Thoughts on unfinished business with Ritu Phogat 4:00 – “Of course I’ll destroy her someday” 4:30 – On a potential fight with Stamp Fairtex 5:00 – “If we fight, I’ll need to train much harder — her striking is dangerous” 5:40 – Confidence check: “I’m back to my best” 6:00 – Who she’s most excited to watch at ONE 173 6:30 – “I only focus on myself — not on Fight of the Night” 7:00 – Final message to fans ➡️ Visit the South China Morning Post for all the latest ONE Championship news ☑️ https://www.scmp.com/martialarts Follow SCMP Martial Arts on social media. ☑️Facebook   / scmpmma   ☑️Twitter   / scmpmartialarts   ☑️Instagram   / scmpmartialarts