Antonio Mammarella will have a tremendous opportunity to announce himself to the world on Friday, June 7. The Italian athlete will meet Adrian Lee at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II. Both men will make their ONE Championship debut and try to stand out as the future of the lightweight division.
Lee’s family history has the world eagerly anticipating his pro debut. However, Mammarella sees it as a great way to steal the thunder for himself. The 24-year-old knows he will have a lot of eyes on his first match on the global stage because of his opponent.
“I obviously respect Lee and his family, as they are great fighters, but this is my time, and it’s even better to have a big name in front of me, so everyone will see what I’m capable of. It’s just another day in the office. Surely, it’s going to be the biggest show I’ve been part of, but it’s all part of the job, and I’m ready for this,” Mammarella told ONE.
Before his pro debut last year, Mammarella had competed in the amateur ranks. He was able to get experience in active competition while honing his skills. Ahead of his ONE debut, Mammarella is making sure fans know he is ready for this moment.
“I have strong amateur MMA experience. I fought the best in Italy, trained under the guidance of the best MMA, wrestling, and BJJ coaches in Italy. It’s good to compete in wrestling and jiu-jitsu, but MMA is a completely different sport,” the Italian prospect mentioned.
The 24-year-old did not have to spend a lot of time breaking down how he thought the match would play out. Although Lee has a decorated amateur career, Mammarella is confident he will finish the match. And that was as plainly as he could state it.
“We’re gonna get the finish via KO,” Mammarella said.
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Perhaps the most significant factor going into this matchup is who can acclimate to the professional level more quickly. That is where Mammarella believes he could have an advantage. While not discounting Lee’s amateur career, the Italian states what he feels is a big difference between the two is ahead of the bout.
“Turning professional is a very hard step to make. You need to be ready mentally more than technically. I think an important aspect is not only having a pro fight but also being a pro fighter for more time than Lee. And with that, I mean living, training, and thinking like a professional fighter,” the 25-year-old expressed.
The opportunity is not being taken for granted. Not only is he debuting in ONE, but he is doing so on an incredible card stacked to the brim. Among a who’s who of martial arts, Mammarella is grateful he can jumpstart his career on the global stage in a major way.
“I’m really excited about the event. ONE 167 is going to be one of the greatest cards ever. It’s such a blessing for me to see my name near world-class athletes that I’ve been following for years. I will surprise everyone on my ONE debut. My fights are always entertaining because I always give everything,” Mammarella said.
ONE 167 airs live on Friday, June 7, from the Impact Arena in Bangkok. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.
