On Friday, April 5, Izaak Michell will have a shot to shake up the BJJ world when he makes his ONE Championship debut. The Aussie will meet Tye Ruotolo for the ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Championship at ONE Fight Night 21. Michell sees similarities between their styles ahead of the co-main event clash.
“Stylistically, we both go in head-on. We both are pretty aggressive, but we also have good timing and can be smooth at the same time. So, it’s a really interesting matchup. I can’t wait. I’m really excited to see what happens,” Michell told ONE.
Ruotolo has been untouchable in ONE action to date. The talented American has squared off against legends of the mat, such as Garry Tonon, and former MMA World Champions like Reinier De Ridder. The result has always ended with his arm raised.
Michell expects to bring his physicality into this matchup with the Atos BJJ star. Along with his physical presence, the Australian wants to be able to adapt at a moment’s notice. He said his unpredictability may be a key advantage to keep Ruotolo from noticing any patterns during the contest.
“I think one of my biggest strengths as a grappler is my timing and my ability to change my intensity throughout the match. I think I’m able to be pretty conscious of what’s happening, and I have good reactions to everything,” the Aussie stated.
The 25-year-old has increased his stock around the world on the canvas, but now he has a shot to grab gold against one of the sport’s biggest names. For Michell, it’s an opportunity to elevate his profile even further. To become a World Champion would be a life-changining moment that he is ready to seize in Bangkok.
“Man, this would mean everything. I think it’s definitely perfect timing with the alignment of where I’m at on my journey. I think it’s going to really set me up for my future and be a huge thing. It’s going to change my life,” Michell admitted.
Michell detailed that he needed to be ready for anything because of Ruotolo’s approach once the bell rings. He does not know exactly what to expect. That, in and of itself, provides a massive challenge on April 5.
“What he does well is 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. So, he might not know or specialize in this move, but he’s willing to do it when it counts in the big competition,” Michell said.
Preparing for the title tilt has made Michell even more a student of the game. He is not leaving anything to chance in his first bid for the ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Championship. Michell believes he has done everything possible to take gold in his promotional debut.
“I’ve been watching a lot of Tye’s matches and studying him, and I’m very impressed with him as a grappler. He has been doing this for his whole life since he was a kid, so it really shows just in his body movements and everything. So yeah, I’ve been game-planning for this match, and I’m really excited to unfold that,” Michell said.
ONE Fight Night 21 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, April 5. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free for all Amazon Prime members based in the U.S. and Canada.
