ONE Championship has loaded ONE Samurai 1 with three marquee MMA matchups. Atomweight judoka Ayaka Miura takes on wrestling sensation Chihiro Sawada in an all-Japan showdown, strawweight star Keito Yamakita clashes with Ryohei Kurosawa in an all-Japan affair, and Itsuki Hirata finally gets her shot at India’s Ritu Phogat in a long-awaited atomweight collision.
The event goes down live on Wednesday, April 29, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. As previously announced, ONE Samurai 1 will be headlined by the ONE Interim Flyweight Kickboxing World Title rematch between Takeru Segawa and Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
Also, ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Yuya Wakamatsu defends his belt against Avazbek Kholmirzaev, and ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty puts his gold on the line against Yuki Yoza.
Three additional MMA bouts featuring some of Japan’s finest fighters make ONE Samurai 1 one of the most stacked events the promotion has put together this year, and from the signs of it, there will be no slowing down.
Miura Looks to Continue Submission Spree Against Sawada at ONE Samurai 1
Miura is one of the most dangerous grapplers in the atomweight MMA division going into ONE Samurai 1. Eight of her nine ONE Championship victories have come via submission, a statistic that speaks to how consistently she can impose her will once a fight hits the mat.
“Zombie,” as she is called, arrives on a five-fight winning streak and is coming off a frustrating near-miss at ONE 173 in November last year, where a scheduled ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title challenge against Denice Zamboanga was called off after the champion withdrew due to health reasons.
The 35-year-old holds a 16-5 career record and a 9-4 mark in ONE, having previously competed at strawweight before moving to atomweight, and she will be eager to stay active and push her case for another title shot at ONE Samurai 1.
Meanwhile, Sawada carries an 11-1 career record and a 6-1 mark in the promotion, arriving on a three-fight winning streak of her own. Two submission victories in ONE suggest she is comfortable working on the ground, which sets up a fascinating grappling battle against the division’s most prolific finisher.
Yamakita Targets Fourth Straight Win at ONE Samurai 1
Yamakita has quietly built one of the most impressive resumes in the ONE Championship strawweight MMA division. The 29-year-old Tokyo native holds an 11-1 career record and a 4-1 promotional mark. Currently on a three-fight winning streak, the wrestler arrives at ONE Samurai 1 with his sights set on a fourth consecutive victory and a push toward the top of the division.
Yamakita’s style is built on a relentless wrestling-based pace that wears opponents down over the course of a fight. His ability to chain takedowns, maintain top pressure, and grind out advantages has proven effective against high-level competition.
Kurosawa brings significant experience to the matchup. The 32-year-old from The Blackbelt Japan holds a 20-5 career record with 11 finishes, and his well-rounded skill set has kept him competitive across years of professional competition. He won his ONE debut convincingly via unanimous decision in 2025 before suffering a decision loss against Bokang Masunyane earlier this year.
Hirata and Phogat Finally Meet After Long-Awaited Postponement
Image Courtesy of ONE Championship.
This battle has been a long time coming. Hirata and Phogat were originally scheduled to meet at ONE 173 in November last year, only for Phogat to withdraw due to injury.
Hirata’s background in judo gives her a dangerous submission game and heavy ground-and-pound capability, tools she used to secure four consecutive victories after her ONE debut in 2019. Two wins from her last several outings reflect a period of inconsistency, and a statement performance against a known name like Phogat would go a long way toward re-energizing her career trajectory. In addition, she has dropped numerous opponents with her powerful right hand.
Phogat’s story is one of the more remarkable in ONE Championship. The 31-year-old from India won seven of her first eight MMA fights after transitioning from a successful wrestling career, earning a place in the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Grand Prix Final before losing to Stamp Fairtex.
Following a defeat to Tiffany Teo in September 2022, Phogat got married, gave birth to a baby boy, and made her return to competition in 2025, losing to Miura in a tough outing. A win over Hirata on the ONE Samurai 1 stage in Tokyo would represent a significant step forward as she looks to rebuild toward the atomweight title picture.
ONE Samurai 1 takes place on Wednesday, April 29, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. Stay tuned to MMASucka for full broadcast details as they are confirmed.