Itsuki Hirata’s mixed martial arts career is just getting started, but the Tokyo native is already widely viewed as a future title contender in ONE Championship.

It’s easy to understand why.

Hirata, now 20 years old, essentially grew up in a jūdōgi (judo uniform), having first followed her brother onto the judo mat when she was only six. After dedicating her youth to the discipline and winning a prefectural championship in high school, she eventually decided to try her hand at MMA.