On November 8 in U.S. primetime, reigning ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo will continue his quest to become a two-sport superstar when he laces up the 4-ounce gloves for his second career MMA fight at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug.
The BJJ phenom will look to move to 2-0 in the all-around sport as he faces veteran Pakistani scrapper Ahmed “Wolverine” Mujtaba at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
At just 21 years old, Ruotolo has already established himself as a pound-for-pound great in the world of submission grappling, and his matchup at ONE 169 will mark another step toward greatness in MMA.
Before he goes toe-to-toe with Mujtaba, we take a fight-by-fight look at Ruotolo’s incredible run in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Entertains Against Shinya Aoki
The Californian made his hotly anticipated promotional debut in May 2022 at ONE 157 when he locked horns with Japanese grappling and MMA legend Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki.
Ruotolo’s creative, high-flying style of grappling was on full display as he largely dominated the veteran en route to a lopsided decision win.
While he wasn’t able to secure the submission finish, he did plenty – including jumping off the Circle Wall to take Aoki’s back – to show fans around the world just how electrifying submission grappling can be.
Taps Uali Kurzhev To Claim Inaugural Gold
Ruotolo returned to ONE in October 2022, just one month after becoming the youngest competitor to ever win gold at the prestigious ADCC World Championships in BJJ.
In a battle between grappling-based martial arts, the American put his BJJ black belt to the test against four-time Sambo World Champion Uali Kurzhev – and the inaugural ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Title was up for grabs.
Once again, Ruotolo showcased his well-rounded and aggressive brand of submission hunting, but this time, he was able to find the finish, locking in a brutal heel hook around the match’s midpoint to claim 26 pounds of gold.
Puts The Pace On Matheus Gabriel
The newly crowned titleholder returned just two months later at ONE on Prime Video 5 when he took on multiple-time IBJJF World Champion Matheus Gabriel – a man many viewed as Ruotolo’s most dangerous opponent yet.
Indeed, the Brazilian proved to be a tough customer with a tricky guard to pass, but it was still one-way traffic in favor of Ruotolo.
After scoring an early takedown, the American put in solid work from the top position, forcing Gabriel to defend a barrage of guard passes and submission attempts for most of the 10-minute contest.
Ultimately, the Circle-side judges awarded Ruotolo the unanimous decision victory to mark his first successful World Title defense.
Wins Thriller Against Tommy Langaker
In June 2023 at ONE Fight Night 11, Ruotolo put his gold on the line against decorated Norwegian black belt Tommy Langaker in what would be ONE’s 2023 Submission Grappling Match of the Year.
The challenger came out guns blazing and scored an early catch – still the first and only time that Ruotolo has found himself in danger since joining ONE
However, the World Champion escaped the submission attempt and roared back with relentless aggression and masterful technique.
He quickly evened the score with a vicious foot lock attempt and otherwise kept his foot on the gas pedal, picking apart Langaker’s vaunted open guard with a blend of pressure, side-to-side movement, and the ever-present threat of leg locks.
After 10 action-packed minutes, Ruotolo earned the judges’ nod and further cemented himself as one of the most exciting grapplers on the planet.
Shines In Rematch With Langaker
Given how entertaining and close their first clash was, it was no surprise that Ruotolo and Langaker collided in a World Title rematch seven months later at ONE 165.
Like their first match, the Norwegian posed a stiff challenge, but Ruotolo had improved during his time off and was able to achieve a more definitive victory.
The defending titleholder leaned heavily on his elite guard-passing game and nearly finished Langaker from the crucifix position in yet another display of his all-around skill set and creative submission hunting.
That quality work from the top position earned Ruotolo the unanimous decision and erased any doubt about his status as the better grappler in this intriguing rivalry.
Submits Francisco Lo With The ‘Ruotolotine’
In April 2024 at ONE Fight Night 21, Ruotolo squared off with dangerous Brazilian Francisco Lo in a non-title catchweight showdown. After some intense moments at the weigh-ins, he came into the fight with something to prove.
Never one to cede any position, Ruotolo engaged in feisty exchanges on the feet before securing a takedown and landing in his foe’s closed guard. He wouldn’t stay there for long, though, as he was able to quickly open the guard, pass, and jump onto Lo’s back in a beautiful display of jiu-jitsu prowess.
Once he was on the back, it was just a matter of seconds before the Californian sunk in a unique arm-in choke – unofficially dubbed the “Ruotolotine.”
Incredibly, Ruotolo’s twin brother – ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo – successfully defended his belt later in the evening by using the same “Ruotolotine” choke against Izaak Michell.
A Spectacular MMA Debut Against Blake Cooper
The ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion made his long-awaited MMA debut this past June at ONE 167 when he battled hard-hitting Hawaiian Blake Cooper.
To the surprise of many, Ruotolo displayed an adept and refined stand-up game as he fired off kicks, combinations, and a wide range of strikes against his more experienced MMA foe.
Ultimately, though, it was the BJJ black belt’s grappling that sealed the deal.
In the second half of the first round, Ruotolo pushed Cooper against the Circle Wall and used the smallest of openings to take his back before sinking in a picture-perfect rear-naked choke.
With that dominant victory, Ruotolo announced himself as a serious player in the sport of MMA and sent a message to the rest of the lightweight division – the submission grappling king is gunning for two-sport gold.
