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Izaak Michell is stepping into the biggest fight of his career with a bag filled with unbridled confidence.
The Australian standout will challenge Tye Ruotolo for the ONE welterweight submission grappling world title in his promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 21 this Friday, US primetime, at the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
In an interview with ONE Championship, Michell expressed the determination to deal Ruotolo his first defeat in the promotion and subsequently capture submission grappling's top prize.
Izaak Michell said:
"I think the general fans and everyone, they just get what the media feeds them and so on. But the other guys, you know, they can recognize someone's potential when they're coming up and before they even reach that peak of sorts in the sport. So yeah, I think it's just that I'm capable enough to win, and, God willing, that will happen."
Michell is one of the best students who studied Brazilian jiu-jitsu under the tutelage of Craig Jones, John Danaher, and Leo Arruda.
That wealth of experience made the 25-year-old one of the most fearsome submission grapplers on the planet.
Michell is a one-time winner of the Who's Next Tournament and claimed gold in the 2022 ADCC Asia and Oceania Trials.
Izaak Michell knew his showdown against Tye Ruotolo was bound to happen
Izaak Michell always had a lingering feeling that he and Tye Ruotolo were bound to compete against one another at some point in their careers.
That fated meeting is now just a few days away, and Michell said their matchup was practically inevitable.
He said in the same interview:
"That day just came sooner with ONE Championship. There's going to be a lot of people there, a lot of eyes on us, and I think a lot of people are very excited to watch this happen."
Izaak wasn't the only one who felt that a match against Ruotolo was fated. Ruotolo also called Michell out repeatedly every time he got the chance.
ONE Fight Night 21, just like all of ONE Championship's Amazon cards, is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
