‘I’m Always Ready For A Round’ – Inside Isi Fitikefu’s Love For Pickleball
When Tongan-Australian MMA star Isi “Doxz” Fitikefu is done smashing pads in his gym, he’s dropping perfect dinks on the pickleball court with the same intensity.
For the 33-year-old who faces undefeated American promotional newcomer Chase “Mannimal” Mann on Friday, January 23, the paddle sport isn’t just a break from the demands of competition.
Pickleball is his mental reset, his family bonding time with his wife and three kids – Malia, William Ross, Miya – and proof that his hunger to compete burns just as bright, whether he’s hunting for a finish or chasing a match point.
Before he returns to action on American primetime for this explosive welterweight MMA battle at ONE Fight Night 39: Rambolek vs. Dayakaev on Prime Video, here’s how his love for the sport started.
The Pickleball Journey Begins
Like millions, Fitikefu rode the wave of one of the fastest-growing sports – a phenomenon that’s exploded across the world over the past five years.
The Sydney native doesn’t just play the game. He dominates it – or at least that’s what he tells himself every time he trades boxing combinations and submission techniques for kitchen volleys and baseline rallies.
Fitikefu told onefc.com:
“Man, I’m a pickleball master. I say it to everyone. I’d like to think that I’m the Roger Federer of pickleball here in Australia. I like to think I am, really, but that’s just what I say in my head to get me pumped every time I play a game.”
The appeal isn’t about following trends or chasing the next big thing for Fitikefu, though. It’s all about finding moments of joy between the intensity of fight camps and the demands of professional combat sports.
The Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Smeaton Grange representative’s journey into pickleball began in late 2025, sparked by the gentle persistence of his wife, who kept encouraging him to give it a try.
Like many newcomers, “Doxz” was skeptical at first. But once he finally gave in and wrapped his hand around the paddle, something instantly clicked:
“I started just before Christmas last year, November 2025. My partner, Dipz Paea, was telling me, ‘Oh, come do it, come do it.’ And I was just like, ‘Man, I don’t want to do it.’ And then I just told myself, ‘You know what, I’ll come do it.’
“And I ended up loving it, and now I introduced it to my brothers and sisters, and then my kids, and now they’re falling in love with it, too.”
The Fitikefus’ Favorite Pastime Today
What began as reluctant participation quickly transformed into genuine passion – not just for the ONE Championship star, but for his entire family.
Fitikefu’s brothers, sisters, and three children followed suit. They embraced the game, and it became a shared language and a way to spend quality time together. The family meets up twice a week for a round or two.
For someone whose professional life revolves around strikes, submissions, and fighting, pickleball offers something entirely different – a chance to decompress, reset, and be present with the people he loves most.
He continued:
“It helps me take my mind off of training and mixed martial arts. It calms me down, it helps me switch off for days, and not only that, but, more importantly, I get to spend time with my loved ones.”
Fitikefu’s competitive fire that has earned him two dominant wins against Valmir “Junior” Da Silva and Hiroyuki “Japanese Beast” Tetsuka inside the promotion lights up just as brightly on the pickleball court – but he’s not the only one.
His three kids and siblings have absorbed that fierce DNA, turning every session into spirited battles.
The Tongan-Australian man shared:
“We do have the ranking matches here, but we don’t play in those – my family is already competitive. My brother to my younger sisters, they don’t like to lose. When we play is like it feels like we’re playing for a ranking every time. We don’t want to play with others because we don’t want to scare other people.
“As for my kids, they’re really putting up a challenge against me there. Now, it’s like I have to catch up to them because they’re getting faster and better. They’re getting sharper. They’re getting more well-rounded.”
A Hero On And Off The Court
While pride and bragging rights are always on the line, Fitikefu admits it’s all for fun and games.
Growing up without a father figure left a mark. Now, as a dad himself, the Sydney native is determined to be present, engaged, and actively involved in his children’s lives. Pickleball has become one of the ways he fulfills that promise, which creates lasting memories.
The 33-year-old reflected:
“All jokes aside, it’s always fun to spend time and watch them grow, at home or on the courts. I never grew up with a dad. I only grew up with a single mom. And I just want to be that dad that I needed when I was a kid for my kids.”
Pickleball, in many ways, has become a source of joy and a reminder to Fitikefu that competition doesn’t always have to involve high stakes. Sometimes, it’s about spending time with the people you love, teaching your kids the importance of self-confidence and sportsmanship.
As such, when he’s done with his battle against Mann at ONE Fight Night 39, the self-declared Roger Federer of pickleball cannot wait to swap punches for dinks, lobs, and volleys on the court.
He concluded:
“I’m ready for a game when I get this fight out of the way. It’s nice to have something to do with the kids other than the usual bonding time at home or in the gym. But, yeah, I’m always ready for a round of pickle.”
