Rob Lisita Looking to Crush Ev Ting and Steal His Fans

Rob Lisita has been fighting in Asia for the last four years and has faced some of the top featherweights from Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, but will be up against a more familiar foe at ONE: Unbreakable Warriors on Friday night (local time).

His opponent, Ev Ting, who was born in Malaysia but grew up in New Zealand, has been on Lisita’s radar for a long time.

“I know Ev well. We’ve fought in the same promotions a few times. A few years back, I went to New Zealand and fought the best guy there who was Ev Ting’s training partner and he’s a lot better than Ev. I crushed him and I’ll crush Ev too.”

Lisita is presumably referring to his 2010 win over current UFC featherweight Daniel Hooker. He also holds a 2013 Legend FC victory over Yeong Gwang Choi, who would go on to beat Ting fighting for the same promotion the following year.

But this is a different era and a different promotion and it’s Ting who has the momentum behind him after winning five fights out of six for ONE Championship. Lisita by contrast has lost his last three, but feels this is the perfect opportunity to turn his career around with a win over a top contender.

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“All these setbacks have been a set-up for a major comeback. It’s going to be the best comeback and the best story in MMA history. Everybody’s gonna know about Rob Lisita. When it’s all said and done, my story in ONE Championship is going to be told for a very long time and I’m going to be the champion one day and this is the first step to getting there.”

Lisita always goes for the kill and hasn’t been the distance since 2012. 11 of his 14 MMA wins have been by way of stoppage and he’s looking to showcase his submission skills against Ting,

“I’m a technical brawler. I get in the pocket, I get in the guy’s face, I dirty box, I throw big punches, I throw big knees and I’m a great wrestler. I haven’t shown as much in my grappling side, but I will show it in this fight.”

While a win over Ting would potentially put Lisita right back in the title mix, a loss could be disastrous for his career prospects. He still dreams of winning a ONE Championship title and feels recent setbacks have only made him stronger.

“The difference between an average person and champion is that there are no failures, only lessons, and a champion realizes that. He dusts himself off, he gets up, and he uses those lessons to make himself better, and I have used those lessons and I am better. I’m better than ever and everyone’s going to see it. It’s not about saying it, I’m going to show it.”

He will be fighting in Kuala Lumpur for the second time and knows the crowd at Stadium Negara will be on his opponent’s side. Seven of Lisita’s last nine bouts have been outside of Australia and its nothing he hasn’t seen or done before.

“I’m always the out of town guy. But I come in there, I take out the hometown hero, and I steal his fans, and that’s what I’m gonna do this time.”