Isi Fitikefu takes aim at ONE Championship’s top fighters

Rising welterweight MMA star Isi Fitikefu didn’t sign with ONE Championship to make up the numbers. He’s committed to reaching the division’s pinnacle, and he wants to face the very best fighters in the world en route to the top.

“Doxz” meets his toughest test yet in former ONE Welterweight MMA World Champion Zebaztian Kadestam at ONE Fight Night 31: Kongthoranee vs. Nong-O II, which airs on Friday, May 2, from Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium.

Last September, Fitikefu snapped Hiroyuki Tetsuka’s five-fight winning streak at ONE 168 to earn back-to-back victories and score the most notable win to date.

Now, he’s confident his skills can handle a decorated striker like Kadestam. The action is the juice for Fitikefu, so he’s excited to put his skills to the test.

“I just want to beat the best guys. I want to beat the best guys ever. He’s one of the best — he’s a former champ. And he’s one of the best everywhere,” he said.

“He’s dangerous, and I like fights like that because it sort of excites me, makes you nervous but excited at the same time. Like, it gives you butterflies in your stomach because you know you’re gonna get the best. And when the test is higher, then you rise to the occasion as well.”

Isi Fitikefu believes he’s better than Zebaztian Kadestam everywhere

Fans are anticipating a knockdown, dragout war between Isi Fitikefu and former ONE Welterweight MMA World Champion Zebaztian Kadestam. However, the Australian-Tongan won’t be baited by the Swede.

Fitikefu is aware of Kadestam’s monstrous striking. He believes he’s better than “The Bandit” in every facet of mixed martial arts. He plans to show that from start to finish on May 2.

“I’m going to be a real mixed martial artist. The sport is mixed martial arts. It’s not just striking, not just grappling. I want to make it exciting just as much as I want to beat this guy, as well,” he said.

“He’s good everywhere. But like I always say, he’s good, but I’m better. I know I am better. I believe in it. If no one believes that, as long as I believe in myself and I do what I have to do out there, I know I’m gonna win.”