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âFinish This Fightâ â Ritu Phogat Returns With A Point To Prove Against Itsuki Hirata At ONE SAMURAI 1
TL;DR
Ritu Phogat faces Itsuki Hirata at ONE SAMURAI 1 on April 29, aiming to prove her skills in the atomweight MMA division. After overcoming personal challenges and previous losses, Phogat is ready to showcase her abilities in Tokyo, Japan.
Key points
- Ritu Phogat fights Itsuki Hirata at ONE SAMURAI 1
- Event scheduled for April 29, 2025
- Location: Ariake Arena, Tokyo, Japan
- Phogat has faced challenges and losses in her career
- She aims to showcase her skills in the atomweight division
Mentioned in this story
Ariake ArenaTokyo
Ritu PhogatItsuki HirataONE SAMURAI 1
Ritu âThe Indian Tigressâ Phogat has learned from her losses, rebuilt herself from the ground up, and is ready to remind the womenâs atomweight MMA division exactly what she is capable of.
The 31-year-old takes on Japanese star Itsuki âAndroid 18â Hirata in an atomweight MMA matchup at ONE SAMURAI 1 on Wednesday, April 29, broadcasting live on pay-per-view from Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
Phogatâs journey to this moment has been anything but straightforward. The Indian wrestling star transitioned to MMA and took the atomweight division by storm, winning seven of her first eight professional fights on the strength of impressive takedowns, relentless ground-and-pound, and a wrestlerâs instinct for controlling where the fight goes.
Then came a run of consecutive losses that tested her in ways her decorated wrestling career never had. She stepped away from competition to focus on family and motherhood, and when she returned to competition in 2025, Phogat suffered a first-round submission loss to Ayaka âZombieâ Miura.
She looks back on that most recent outing not with regret, but with the perspective of someone who extracted every lesson it had to offer:
âMy last fight came after a long break and after becoming a mother. It was quite a good experience and I learned a lot from that fight.â
Every defeat, particularly the three consecutive submission losses, pointed to a specific area that demanded attention, and âThe Indian Tigressâ has spent considerable time addressing it head-on.
Now, she is confident the results will speak for themselves on April 29.
Phogat said:
âIn my last three matches, the losses have come by submission, so I needed to work more on my grappling. I have improved my grappling considerably.
Q&A
What date is Ritu Phogat's fight against Itsuki Hirata?
Ritu Phogat's fight against Itsuki Hirata is scheduled for April 29, 2025.
Where is ONE SAMURAI 1 taking place?
ONE SAMURAI 1 will take place at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
What challenges has Ritu Phogat faced in her MMA career?
Ritu Phogat has faced consecutive losses and took a break from competition to focus on family before returning to the sport.
How has Ritu Phogat performed in her MMA career so far?
Ritu Phogat won seven of her first eight professional MMA fights before experiencing a series of setbacks.