Chihiro Sawada aims for a world title shot by facing Ayaka Miura at ONE SAMURAI 1 in Tokyo on April 29. The winner could challenge for the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Championship.
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Chihiro Sawada has her sights set firmly on 26 pounds of gold, and she knows exactly what stands between her and a shot at the belt.
The 28-year-old takes on former ONE World Title challenger Ayaka “Zombie” Miura in a crucial atomweight MMA showdown at ONE SAMURAI 1, which emanates from the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, April 29. The historic show will broadcast live on pay-per-view via live.onefc.com.
With the winner potentially earning a crack at reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga, the stakes could not be higher for this all-Japanese clash.
Sawada enters this pivotal contest with an impressive 11-1 career record, including a 6-1 run in the promotion. Currently riding a three-bout winning streak, the wrestling-based fighter has established herself as one of the division’s most dangerous grapplers.
Her opponent, Miura, previously competed at strawweight, where she challenged for the ONE Women’s Strawweight MMA World Championship in 2022. But since moving down a weight class in 2024, the “Zombie” has compiled a four-fight winning streak and has positioned herself as the atomweight division’s leading contender.
Sawada paid close attention to her compatriot’s activity in recent years, and she realized very quickly that a battle with her was inevitable:
“Since the time that she dropped down in weight, I thought eventually we would have an all-Japanese matchup. So, I’ve always been prepared to fight her at any time.”
Sawada’s fighting style centers on her decorated wrestling background, which provides the foundation for everything she accomplishes inside the ring.
That elite grappling base allows her to dictate where the action takes place, forcing opponents to defend takedowns while creating opportunities for ground-and-pound and submissions.
The fight is crucial as the winner may earn a title shot against the reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion.
ONE SAMURAI 1 will take place on April 29 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
Chihiro Sawada has an impressive professional MMA record of 11 wins and 1 loss.
The current champion is Denice 'The Menace' Zamboanga.
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Sawada, however, has evolved in recent years, and she has proven to be more than a one-dimensional fighter. Her striking development has reached a level where she can credibly threaten opponents on the feet while setting up her takedown entries, as displayed in her unanimous decision victory over American sensation Natalie Salcedo this past January.
She said:
“My fighting style is probably using my strong wrestling ability in positions where I can dominate and combining it with striking. I realized that later on, but since wrestling is my foundation, I train every day focusing on striking to set up my wrestling.”
When it comes to breaking down the “Zombie,” Sawada leaves no doubt that she has studied her opponent thoroughly.
She understands exactly what makes Miura – a third-degree judo black belt with 16 career wins – so difficult to deal with and exactly where she believes the gaps are.
Sawada, the inaugural Shooto Atomweight Champion, explained:
“She’s a fighter who can impose her strength and specialty. Also, she’s incredibly flexible. I often hear that her shoulders are very flexible. Her strengths are the Ayaka Lock, her judo throws, and her hip strength.
“As for weaknesses, her striking is a bit behind, and she doesn’t move laterally as much. I believe my overall MMA ability is better since MMA includes striking, so I think I have the advantage there.”
Chihiro Sawada knows everyone enters the ring against Ayaka Miura with a plan to avoid her signature “Ayaka Lock.”
The 28-year-old has watched countless opponents prepare specifically for Miura’s trademark submission, only to find themselves trapped in the scarf-hold Americana that has become the veteran’s calling card. But the Japanese wrestler doesn’t plan to be another statistic.
She revealed her strategy to counter the infamous submission hold:
“Everyone knows about the ‘Ayaka Lock,’ but they still get caught in it. I don’t want to get caught in it. I’ve prepared for it, and I don’t think I will get caught. But anything can happen in a fight, so I want to disrupt her game to the point where she can’t even think about the ‘Ayaka Lock.’
“And in MMA, I believe I’m superior, so I plan to win convincingly. When it comes to grappling, I can handle myself too.”
The stakes couldn’t be clearer. While Sawada initially hoped this fight would be for a World Championship, it instead could serve as a final hurdle to get that opportunity.
Now, she could be just one victory away from the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title shot she’s been chasing, and she plans to state her case for a crack at the gold on April 29.
Sawada offered:
“I thought this fight might be for the title, but since it’s not, I need to overcome this challenge to get closer to the title. So, I want to win this fight and move on to a championship bout.
“I’ve always wanted to win the title, and since joining ONE, I’ve been aiming for the belt. My goal hasn’t changed – to win a title in ONE as a Japanese female fighter.”