“He’s as good as they come” – Izaak Michell stacks praise on Tye Ruotolo before they collide for grappling gold at ONE Fight Night 21

As a newcomer, Izaak Michell is well aware that his ONE Championship debut will be a daunting challenge, as he is set to face one of the top grapplers in the world.

ONE Friday Fights 21 on Prime Video will showcase the highly anticipated rematch between reigning ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion Tye Ruotolo and Australian BJJ sensation. As always, the event will take place at the prestigious Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.

Prior to his upcoming world title bout against one of the renowned Ruotolo siblings, Michell shared his insights on what sets his opponent apart as a formidable adversary.

“Obviously, he ranked number one in the world at 185, so he’s as good as they come,”Michell told ONE Championship in a recent interview. “So, I guess what he does well, he’s very aggressive, but at the same time, he can change his intensity and be smooth and he’s not afraid to do anything that comes up.”

Izaak Michell is set to make his mark against Tye Ruotolo at ONE Fight Night 21

At the young age of 16, Izaak Michell began his training and has since dedicated himself to perfecting his skills under the guidance of renowned BJJ figures such as Lloyd Irvin, Renzo Gracie, and John Danaher. Throughout his journey, he has amassed numerous accomplishments, with his most notable being his first-place victory at the 2021 IBJJF World Championships as a brown belt.

One year later, he achieved victory at the ADCC Asia & Oceania Trials, and also emerged as the champion at the 2022 Who’s Next Tournament.

Despite having defeated IBJJF world champions Jansen Gomes and Roberto Jimenez, Michell’s experience extends beyond rolling with top names in the game. However, while he respects his previous opponents, he has yet to encounter someone as dangerous as Tye Ruotolo.

Will Michell’s premiere performance result in him shocking the world and winning ONE Championship gold, or will Tye Ruotolo continue to add notable names to his growing hit list?

North American viewers can tune in to watch ONE Fight Night 21 live and without charge on Amazon Prime Video during U.S. primetime on Friday, April 5.