MMA star Isi Fitikefu reveals secret ingredient for Penrith Panthers ahead of ONE Fight Night bout

Tongan-Australian knockout artist Isi Fitikefu who has been been a secret ingredient for the Penrith Panthers over the last two seasons hopes to channel their success in his upcoming MMA bout.

The western Sydney welterweight will take on Valmir Da Silva at ONE Fight Night 9: Nong-O vs. Haggerty in Bangkok, Thailand on April 22.

‘Doxz’, who trains closely with UFC stars Rob Whittaker and Jacob Malkoun, says he always wanted to be a rugby league star – and was even once scouted by the Cronulla Sharks.

‘I used to play rugby league back in New Zealand, and then I moved to Australia (to live with) my dad. He was a former NRL player himself. I’ve always wanted to be (a rugby league player) like every Polynesian kid who wanted to play rugby league for the first-grade team,’ he told 7News.

‘At that time, I was living in Australia, so I moved out to Cronulla, and then I got picked up by the Cronulla Sharks team. I played for them for a bit, then I got cut. I was trying to get to the third-cup team.’

Tongan-Australian knockout artist Isi Fitikefu who has been been a secret ingredient for the Penrith Panthers over the last two seasons hopes to channel their success in his upcoming MMA bout

‘Doxz’, who trains closely with UFC stars Rob Whittaker (L) and Jacob Malkoun (C), says he always wanted to be a rugby league star – and was even once scouted by the Cronulla Sharks

‘I was pretty shattered (being cut by Cronulla). I didn’t know where to go from there. I just dreamt of just one thing. It was playing in the NRL. Sometimes things don’t go as planned,’ he said.

Fortunately the youngster crossed paths with Gracie Smeaton Grange head coach Alex Prates – who mentors some of the best MMA fighters in Australia.

Fitikefu made the transition to MMA as a teenager and has since made a stunning impact on the local scene – winning the Eternal MMA middleweight championship and finally being signed by major MMA promotion ONE.

For the last couple of years, Fitikefu and his teammates have been helping the Panthers with their wrestling behind-the-scenes and making the reigning NRL premiers one of the strongest defensive units in the game.

‘It’s not so much MMA grappling skills. It’s more wrestling. You can’t overcomplicate it with all these rugby league players because their job is to run hard and tackle hard. So, we just make it simple for them,’ he said.

‘It’s just a couple of things – good posture, finish heavy on top, good control. That’s it. We worked with the Panthers. Alex Prates is our head coach for MMA. He’s been around, he’s taught the (Cronulla) Sharks, South Sydney, Brisbane Broncos, Penrith Panthers – he’s now with the Bulldogs.

‘We just learned a lot of things because what he wants to do is pass on what he knows to us, so that we can continue it as well.’

Fitikefu has worked with some of the finest athletes in the NRL and believes that more than a few could find real success in MMA if they wanted to.

‘All those players have got a lot of potential. Penrith, the Bulldogs, they’re just super freak athletes – explosive, powerful guys,’ he said.

For the last couple of years, Fitikefu and his teammates have been helping the Panthers with their wrestling behind-the-scenes and making the reigning NRL premiers one of the strongest defensive units in the game

Fitikefu made the transition to MMA as a teenager and has since made a stunning impact on the local scene – winning the Eternal MMA middleweight championship and finally being signed by major MMA promotion ONE

‘But any one of them could be (a fighter). If they wanted to step in the cage, I reckon any one of them could do that.’

Fitikefu made his debut for ONE in November and lost in a very close split-decision to Ruslan Emilbek Uulu.

The loss was his first defeat since 2015 and he’s determined to make up for it against Da Silva.

‘Tune in. It’s gonna be a battle,’ he said. ‘Get ready, I’ll bring a knockout, submission, whatever, but you guys are going to enjoy it.’