Jihin Radzuan understands what consecutive losses mean at atomweight's elite level — momentum evaporates, confidence wavers, and questions emerge about whether championship aspirations remain realistic or merely nostalgic. The 27-year-old Malaysian wushu world champion has absorbed those harsh lessons after dropping back-to-back contests to Chihiro Sawada and Macarena Aragon following her submission victory over Jenelyn Olsim.
Now Jihin gets her opportunity to reverse that trajectory when she welcomes undefeated Brazilian Gabriela Fujimoto to ONE Championship in an atomweight contest at ONE Fight Night 40 on February 13 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The event broadcasts live in U.S. primetime on Amazon Prime Video.
The desperation is palpable. Jihin relocated her training camp to Foxgloves Fight Gym in Singapore, closer to her family home in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, focusing specifically on technical striking refinements that address the defensive gaps recent opponents exploited. The adjustments have given her renewed confidence heading into this crossroads matchup.
"For this camp, I've been focusing a lot more on [the technical aspects] of my striking – how to move out, when to step in, and how to work on a lot of angles and stuff like that," Jihin explained. "You all will see it on February 13. Otherwise, I've been feeling great [throughout] this preparation with fight camp. I also feel good with my weight and everything else."
Fujimoto arrives with exactly the kind of credentials that make promotional debuts intimidating — a perfect 7-0 record, undefeated momentum, and the confidence that comes from never experiencing professional defeat. The 22-year-old Brazilian represents dangerous opposition for a fighter desperately hunting redemption.
"I've watched some of her fights, and I believe she's a well-rounded fighter," Jihin acknowledged. "She's undefeated as well. 7-0. I think she's more of a striker, but I'm not looking down on her grappling game. I think this is going to be a very exciting match."
But Jihin refuses accepting the supporting role in someone else's promotional debut story, especially with her career trajectory hanging in balance. She's identified specific advantages that favor experience over youthful momentum, particularly regarding the ring versus cage environment that confounds fighters making that transition.
"I've been fighting MMA in the ring for quite some time right now, so I think I will have better control in the ring," Jihin explained. "With the ropes, there are a lot of disadvantages and advantages. Being in a ring is not as tight as the fence, so you lose a lot of advantage there if your back is on the ropes. But on the fence, it's more like you can work yourself out of trouble with takedowns or something else."
That technical knowledge matters when Fujimoto will be experiencing ring combat under MMA rules for the first time. The adjustment presents challenges most athletes underestimate until they're navigating rope dynamics mid-fight, discovering how different spatial awareness and positional control become without the cage wall's support.
The Malaysian enters this contest carrying something deeper than tactical adjustments — burning desire to prove consecutive losses were temporary adversity rather than indication of decline, that she remains legitimate threat among the atomweight division's elite competitors.
"I really want to redeem myself in this fight," Jihin said. "I feel very confident. Every single time, I bring the same confidence in the ring. But we'll see what's going to happen in the ring. It's going to be different this time. I think fans can expect a big and significant change in my striking and everything. I'm ready to leave everything in the ring and perform at my very best."
"I need this win very badly," Jihin concluded. "But I can assure you, both of us are going to give our best. Of course, she wants to show her best performance since this is her debut, and I want to show my best to claim myself back in the winner's column."
