‘They Build Self-Confidence’ – How MMA Star Isi Fitikefu Is Using Sports To Better His Children’s Lives
Isi “Doxz” Fitikefu knows firsthand what it takes to reach the highest levels of mixed martial arts, and he’s happy to pass that knowledge along to the next generation.
This Friday, May 2, the Tongan-Australian standout will face former ONE Welterweight MMA World Champion Zebaztian “The Bandit” Kadestam live in U.S. primetime at ONE Fight Night 31: Kongthoranee vs. Nong-O II on Prime Video.
While he’s currently in the thick of preparations for that pivotal clash at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, Fitikefu is balancing the demands of training camp with his obligations as a dedicated father and coach.
According to “Doxz,” guiding young athletes, especially his own children, is a passion that drives him daily.
He told onefc.com that sports aren’t just about competition – they’re also key building blocks for becoming a well-rounded individual:
“My family’s been keeping me busy. My kids. Being a coach – besides being a fighter, I’m a coach. I probably coach more than I fight.”
Now riding a two-bout winning streak and potentially on the cusp of a World Title shot, Fitikefu’s dedication to coaching shows his commitment to the next generation of athletes.
His most important role, though, happens at home, where he guides his own children through their sporting journeys.
He joked that, outside of coaching and fighting, he spends most of his time carting his offspring around:
“I’m an Uber driver as well – driving my kids to sports. Running them to sports, school, Uber driver, ATM machine.”
When he was a child, Fitikefu was limited by his family’s financial constraints. The 32-year-old now ensures that his own children can explore a variety of athletic disciplines.
The proud father believes that exposure to different activities helps his kids discover their interests while building valuable life skills:
“I remember when I was a kid, I was only allowed to play one sport, ’cause that’s what we could afford.”
Fitikefu Says Sports Build Character
Isi Fitikefu understands the transformative power of sports.
He said that individual endeavors like martial arts and team activities both build essential life skills and self-belief in young people:
“It’s important, I believe. These sports like jiu-jitsu and wrestling – I feel like they build self-confidence.”
The welterweight MMA contender has noticed that his children have embraced rugby, finding joy in both the physical aspects of the game as well as the camaraderie that comes along with it.
Once an introverted child, Fitikefu used sports to find his voice and develop the strong persona that now serves him when he competes under ONE’s bright lights.
He will undoubtedly carry the lessons he learned first as an athlete and now as a mentor into ONE Fight Night 31:
“When I was a kid, I was real shy. I was a super shy kid. And it took me a while to trust people. I had trust problems, and I was really self-conscious and shy.
” But I feel like through sports it helped me open up a bit, and I wanted to give that to them so they could be the opposite – be more confident in themselves.”
