‘I’m The Underdog’ – Isi Fitikefu Embraces Chance To Snap Hiroyuki Tetsuka’s Winning Streak At ONE 168: Denver
Isi ”Doxz” Fitikefu thinks he’s the man to finally halt Hiroyuki “Japanese Beast” Tetsuka’s rampage through ONE’s welterweight MMA division.
Fitikefu will face the surging Japanese star at ONE 168: Denver on Friday, September 6, and he’s extremely motivated by the difficult challenge ahead.
After earning his first ONE win in his last outing, the Australian-Tongan rising star is confident he can build more momentum at the expense of Tetsuka’s five-fight winning streak.
“Doxz” knows how valuable a victory over “Japanese Beast” would be, and he’s prepared to dig deep to get it when they clash at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
Fitikefu told onefc.com:
“I’ve been watching [Tetsuka]. He’s been winning a lot. Seeing someone fight like that motivates me because I’m an underdog.
“I like this matchup. It’s challenging. I get to test myself against the best, so I’m just keen to get in there. Even though I haven’t been active since last April due to a few injuries, I’ve been working hard, leveling up my skills and everything.
“I’m ready to test myself against this person. I’m ready to get the win.”
Tetsuka certainly poses plenty of problems for anybody in the division. He has finished all five wins in his current streak, with two knockouts and three submissions.
However, Fitikefu is happy to engage “Japanese Beast” in any range, and he won’t back down from the hulking 34-year-old when they start exchanging inside the Circle.
“Doxz” is adamant he will stand his ground – unlike many of Tetsuka’s past rivals – and that’s when his clinical striking could come into play.
Fitikefu said:
“He’s going to be surprised at how sharp I am. He loves to swing, but I feel like I’m a bit more of a sharpshooter. I’m going to catch him down the middle. If he wants to grapple me, he can try. But I’m not like these other guys that stay on their backs. I don’t stay on my back. I’m a scrambler.
“I feel like it’s going to be a TKO or a knockout before the third [round]. I can feel it. I’ve been training hard, and it’s a feeling that you can feel in your veins and in your blood. For some reason, I can feel that I’m going to get the job done.”
‘All Or Nothing’ For Fitikefu In Crucial Welterweight Tilt
Isi Fitikefu is a laidback character, but it’s clear he’s excited about his next assignment at ONE 168. Going up against an elite rival on a hot streak, “Doxz” knows the stakes are high.
That brings him the extra fuel ahead of September 6 in Denver, where a dominant victory could thrust him straight into the welterweight MMA division’s top tier:
“I’ve always got plenty of fire. It’s just a fight like this gets me going because he’s on a five-fight win streak. I’m the underdog. I just want to bring the fight to him.
“I don’t know where a win puts me in the title picture, but I’m just taking one fight at a time, winning each fight. If this fight puts me up into title contention, then let it be. But I’m not looking past him.
“I want to put on a good fight, and if it becomes a war, I’m ready for war. I’m ready to die in there if I have to. I’m not looking ahead. I’m not leaving it in there – all or nothing.”
Fitikefu isn’t looking for any shortcuts. Even if he defeats Tetsuka, he won’t try to jump the queue by staking his claim for the gold.
“Doxz” would love to face reigning ONE Welterweight MMA World Champion Christian Lee, but he’d also relish the chance to face any of the top contenders to prove that he is deserving.
He added:
“I’ve got my eye on Christian Lee, but there’s a lot of guys I’ve got my eye on. The other guy that excites me a lot is Roberto Soldic. He fought Zebaztian Kadestam on the last Denver card. Both of them. Those two fights excite me a lot.
“I love hard fights, and those are the fights I want. I want a fight that gives you butterflies in your stomach because it’s challenging.
“These guys are good, and if I can beat them, then I know I’m worthy enough for a World Title shot. I want to earn my shot. I don’t want anything given to me.”
