Antonio Mammarella knows he is the lesser-known fighter in his high-profile first matchup in the ONE Championship match, and he’s looking to play the spoiler. Ahead of his clash against his opponent. Let’s have a look at what Mammarella is planning for his match.

This Friday, June 7, the Australian fighter is set to square off against Adrian Lee in a lightweight MMA battle at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II inside the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

Antonio Mammarella ready to face the challenge

Adrian is the youngest member of the famed Lee family, who are much-revered in martial arts and well-established in ONE Championship. Three of his older siblings found varying degrees of success in the world’s largest martial arts organization, so the 18-year-old’s entry has the world buzzing.

In an interview with ONE, Mammarella acknowledged the accomplishments of his opponent’s clan but maintained that he won’t be the red carpet that Lee will step on upon his arrival on the global stage. “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,” he said.

He further added, “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.” The hype surrounding Lee is not just related to his family’s achievements, though.

Mammarella confident ahead of clash with Adrian Lee

The American up-and-comer won amateur titles in MMA, kickboxing, and no-gi grappling, and he even claimed a state title in wrestling. On top of that, his older brother, two-division World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee, has been saying for some time that Adrian might be the best of them, considering his skill set.

Despite this, Mammarella refuses to be intimidated. He has a decent amateur slate to his name too, and he won his first professional MMA bout in such a manner that it put his name on the map and attracted ONE.

The 24-year-old was guided by an MMA legend in Italy, Angelo Pompeo, as a youngster, and he’s confident he can pull off a decisive finish against Lee on Friday. 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,” he said. It’s good to compete in wrestling and jiu-jitsu, but MMA is a completely different sport. We’re going to get the finish via KO.”