KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — Sometimes, fighting can bring people closer – and for Malaysian mixed martial artist Jihin ‘Shadow Cat’ Radzuan, this rings true.

The 25-year-old FIOGA Wushu World Champion and MIMMA Women’s Flyweight Champion, who debuted in ONE Championship in 2018, shared how martial arts has strengthened her family bonds.

As the youngest of six siblings, with a 17-year age gap between her and the eldest, Jihin admitted that they weren’t particularly close, as her brothers and sisters were preoccupied with their own lives.

Raised by her mother after her parents’ divorce, Jihin learned to navigate life independently from a young age.

Despite a brief stint with Silat at the age of six, the Johor-born fighter only got into martial arts seriously during high school. At 15, Jihin joined an MMA gym in Johor Bahru, with her elder sister covering the registration fee as a birthday gift.

Just three months into her training, she entered her first Muay Thai competition, sparking a deeper love for martial arts.

During her school days, her sister would often drive her to the gym, though Jihin occasionally took public transport until she got her driving licence at 18.

She then supported herself by working as a veterinary nurse at a clinic near her gym.“My mum didn’t fully agree with me joining the gym at first, thinking martial arts wasn’t suitable for girls.

“But I’m quite stubborn — if I want something, I go for it regardless.

“Eventually, they saw the improvement in me and my discipline. I’d make sure to clean the house before heading to the gym, and they realised how serious I was. From there, they started supporting me,” Jihin said.

Over the years, Jihin’s family’s support has only grown, with her relatives often coming together to cheer her on during her matches.

Although Jihin is very close to her mother, she shared that her mum has never watched any of her fights live.

“She only watches my matches after they’re over because she’s too scared to watch them live.

“If I win, she watches the replay quicker. I’ve asked her many times to watch me live, but she refuses every time.

“However, my brothers and sisters often come to watch me fight in person. Martial arts has definitely had a big impact on my family,” Jihin said.

Meanwhile, Jihin is currently looking to bounce back after her defeat to Japanese fighter Chihiro Sawada back in March this year.

She is set to face another Japanese fighter, Ayaka ‘Zombie’ Miura, this October 4 at ONE Fight Night 25, which will take place at the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The initial fight against Miura was supposed to take place in April this year but was delayed after Jihin suffered a knee injury while training.

Jihin, who’s currently based in Thailand since January this year, has fully recovered from her injury and is all fired up for her next match.

“I’m content and confident for my next match.

“My last match was more or less on me because I still haven’t fully adjusted myself, and everything felt new. There were some things happening behind the scenes, but I don’t want to use that as an excuse.

“For this next match, I have to show that I’m fully capable of taking on my opponent,” she said.

Jihin has won eight out of her last 12 matches in ONE Championship.