Itsuki Hirata rebounds after career spiral: “I was so shocked and down”

Itsuki Hirata will begin resurrecting her career when she steps back into combat after months of soul-searching. The former ONE World Title contender confronts her once-promising trajectory against an undefeated opponent who represents everything she used to be.

Hirata faces promotional newcomer Arti Khatri in atomweight MMA action at ONE Friday Fights 120 on Friday, August 15, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium. The 25-year-old Japanese fighter enters her weekly series debut carrying the weight of three setbacks.

The Japanese fighter’s dreams crumbled spectacularly for someone who once seemed destined for gold. Her arrival brought suffocating ground control that demolished four consecutive opponents before reality struck with crushing force.

Most recently, she dropped three in a row. Her first-round submission loss to Victoria Souza at ONE 167 represented more than just another loss — it shattered Hirata’s confidence. The shocking defeat triggered an existential crisis about her fighting future.

Mental warfare followed physical defeat as self-doubt consumed her. Watching fights became impossible during her darkest period when even martial arts’ presence felt overwhelming rather than inspiring.

Geographic proximity to the sport also made complete avoidance impossible, creating internal conflict between her competitive instincts and psychological wounds. The environment that once nurtured her success now served as a constant reminder of failure.

Recovery required confronting harsh truths about her capabilities while rediscovering the passion that initially drove her championship ambitions. Lumpinee Stadium’s electric atmosphere provides the perfect backdrop for attempted rebirth.

“I’m feeling really good — just excited, honestly. I’m looking forward to it. It’s crazy. I’ve got a mix of nerves and excitement. It’s been so long, so of course I’m a bit nervous, but I also want to enjoy that feeling,” Hirata said.

“It’s my first Friday Fights. I’m curious to see what it’s like.”

Itsuki Hirata now exhumes confidence

Professional athletes rarely discuss their lowest moments with such raw honesty. Itsuki Hirata’s admission reveals someone who genuinely questioned whether elite competition remained within her reach after devastating disappointment.

The weekly series represents her final chance to salvage her aspirations before they slip away permanently.

“After my loss, I was so shocked and down that there was a time I didn’t even want to watch fights. I shut myself off from a lot of it,” she said.