Willie “White Lion” van Rooyen opens up on his journey from Pretoria gyms to ONE Championship ahead of Jeremy Miado fight

Willie “White Lion” van Rooyen’s rise to ONE Championship did not happen overnight. It started in Pretoria, South Africa, in a simple neighborhood where a young boy watched combat sports on television. He dreamed of stepping into the ring himself. There was no master plan at first. Just curiosity, discipline, and the willingness to train every day.Now 23, van Rooyen is preparing for his second appearance in ONE Championship. He will face Jeremy Miado at ONE Fight Night 41 on March 13 in U.S. primetime. The flyweight contender hopes to bounce back from his first professional loss and continue building his name as one of South Africa’s brightest MMA prospects.Willie van Rooyen was born and raised in Pretoria. Combat sports were not the main focus in his household. His brothers played rugby and cricket. His mother had trained in karate as a child, and his father boxed casually. Still, no one had pursued a professional career in fighting before him.As the youngest of three brothers, van Rooyen found his own path. He says he was fortunate to grow up in a stable home with strong support. He explains that he has lived his entire life in Pretoria with his parents and grandparents nearby. His interest in martial arts began with watching wrestling, boxing, and MMA on television. One afternoon after school, he told his mother he wanted to take up a combat sport. That simple request marked the start of his journey.Kickboxing became his foundation. It sharpened his timing and distance control. In February 2022, he transitioned into amateur MMA and registered six wins in 16 months. He turned professional in September 2023. He soon signed with ONE Championship.His debut at ONE Fight Night 37 ended in a first-round submission defeat. But van Rooyen views it as valuable experience. Speaking to ONEfc, he says he considers it a lesson rather than a failure and believes it is better to lose early in his career than during a future title fight. After returning to the A-Team Stars gym, he refocused. He explains that competing once in ONE showed him the required level and pushed him to train harder. His goal remains clear, to become the first ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion from South Africa.