Leandro Issa Believes BJJ Brilliance Will Bring Him Victory In Manila

Championship.com

Leandro “Brodinho” Issa promises he will be back to his best at ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR to put on a show for the fans in Manila, Philippines.

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion will face Fu Chang Xin at the Mall Of Asia Arena on Friday, 12 February, and he knows he must deliver an impressive victory to position himself among the top contenders in the bantamweight division.

“My training camp was amazing. I am injury-free and feeling great and hungry for this match-up,” he says.

“I can’t wait to get into the cage in Manila on 12 April. I’m going there to give a good performance for all the Pinoy fans and finish this match.”

Issa returned to the world’s largest martial arts organization after a four-year absence in 2017 and went on a three-bout winning streak that included two stoppage victories.

This streak put the Evolve representative within touching distance of World Title contendership, and he wants to resume that charge to secure a shot at the gold.

The belt has been tied up by Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon and Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes’ rivalry – and will continue to be out of reach until they meet for the fourth time later this year – leaving the weight class wide open for a challenger to emerge by the time an undisputed ONE Bantamweight World Champion is decided.

Issa’s opponent in Manila has the same goal, and he will also make a good case to join the top contenders if he can add to his 2-0 slate in The Home Of Martial Arts. So far, Fu has defeated Rustem Ensebayev via TKO and Rin Saroth by submission on the global stage.

His finishes showed he has dangerous skills in every range, but the Brazilian veteran believes he will have too much experience for his Chinese rival – especially on the mat.

“I fought some against some good guys. I’ve been tested, so I want to go in there and test my opponent,” he says.

“I can see he likes to mix things up, he’s well-rounded, but I believe his ground game is not that great.

“[Fu] did well in his last bout, but I believe I’m better than him everywhere, so I plan to go in there and finish him.”

“Brodinho” has done his homework on the man from Long Yun MMA, but more than anything, he has worked on himself to improve and get back on course to the top of the division.

That means, if all goes to plan, you can expect to see a lot more of the 35-year-old under the lights this year as he chases the mixed martial arts World Title that has eluded him since he joined the world’s largest martial organization all the way back in 2011.

“This year I want to be busy competing in ONE Championship, but for sure, my goal is to be World Champion,” he adds.