Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat has learned from her losses, rebuilt herself from the ground up, and is ready to remind the women’s atomweight MMA division exactly what she is capable of.

The 31-year-old takes on Japanese star Itsuki “Android 18” 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.

Phogat’s 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 wrestler’s 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 “Zombie” 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:

“My 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.”

Every defeat, particularly the three consecutive submission losses, pointed to a specific area that demanded attention, and “The Indian Tigress” has spent considerable time addressing it head-on.

Now, she is confident the results will speak for themselves on April 29.

Phogat said:

“In 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.

“I wouldn’t call it a concern, but these losses have taught me a lot, that at the very least I should not be losing on the ground. I have worked on this for a long time. In the next fight, those improvements will be visible.”

Across from her stands Hirata, with dangerous submission skills and heavy ground-and-pound.

The pair were originally booked to meet at ONE 173, but a Phogat injury forced the bout off the card. Now, the long-awaited matchup is finally here, and the wrestler-turned-MMA-fighter could not be more ready for it.

She said:

“I am very excited for this fight. My fight against Itsuki Hirata has been cancelled before as well. And now that this fight is finally happening, I am very excited and ready. I would just like to say that our fight is finally happening. All the fans have been wanting to see this fight. Together, we will put on a very good fight.”

Phogat Targets Early Finish Against Dangerous Judoka

Ritu Phogat has studied her opponent carefully, and she knows exactly what she is walking into.

Hirata is a 26-year-old Tokyo native with a decorated judo background, six ONE wins, and three finishes on her promotional record. In her early ONE career, the Japanese star won five of her first six bouts and announced herself as one of the division’s most dangerous competitors.

Phogat has nothing but respect for what Hirata brings to the contest but she is not walking in without a warning.

“The Indian Tigress” said:

“Hirata is a very good and experienced fighter. I respect her a lot. I would just like to tell her to watch out for Ritu Phogat.

“I don’t want to disrespect her by pointing out any one particular move. She is a good fighter with a judo background. I will just say that she is exceptionally good.”

This clash promises to be a fascinating battle of ground game specialists, with Phogat’s powerful wrestling and ground-and-pound set against Hirata’s judo throws and submission skills. 

Phogat, however, is not coming to grind out a decision. She has an ending in mind, and she is prepared to push the pace from the opening bell to get it.

She concluded:

“I want to finish this fight in the first or second round. If that plan doesn’t work out, I am prepared for all scenarios. I want to finish this fight and dominate my opponent.

“Right now my focus is only on this fight and I want to win it no matter what. And after that, I am ready for whatever comes next.”

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