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Rika “Tinydoll” Ishige, 29, was one of the Thai athletes who attended the official “ONE: Kingdom of Heroes” open workout at Nakornloung Promotion Gym in Bangkok, Thailand on August 28, 2018. During the event, the Thai-Japanese mixed martial artist expressed her optimism about the growth of MMA in Thailand.

“Thank you everyone for coming here today,” Ishige stated. “It is truly an honor for me. Being able to perform at home here in Bangkok, I have been extremely fortunate.”

“Right now, martial arts is at a peak high in Thailand, and it’s all thanks to the amazing work we have put in over the past few years,” the ONE Championship athlete added. “ONE Championship has really focused on highlighting the beauty of Thai martial arts. It is my honor to help represent the women in this sport.”

Ishige is of mixed Japanese and Thai heritage and was heavily influenced by her late Japanese father who trained in judo. She began her martial arts training at age 9 with aikido and taekwondo and went on to hone her skills as a martial artist.

“I know I have a lot to work on with my skills,” Ishige said. “But I am hitting the gym hard every day and I feel I have improved greatly as a martial artist. I can’t wait to show everyone what I have been doing.”

All of Ishige’s victories have ended via impressive finish, showcasing her high-level grappling skills. She is currently one of the most popular martial artists in Thailand and in Asia.

As a ONE Championship athlete, Ishige competes in the atomweight division. Training out of Tiger Muay Thai and Bangkok Fight Lab, she is one of the Thai athletes competing at “ONE: Kingdom of Heroes.”

Set for the Impact Arena in Bangkok on October 6, 2018, “ONE: Kingdom of Heroes” will feature reigning The Ring and WBC Super Flyweight World Champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand. He will defend his title against challenger Iran “MagnifiKO” Diaz of Mexico.

Also in attendance at the “ONE: Kingdom of Heroes” open workout were ONE Championship athletes Sagetdao “Deadly Star” Petpayathai and Petchmorrakot Wor. Sangprapai. Here is a teaser of the upcoming event in Bangkok:

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