Kade Ruotolo hints at MMA debut after winning inaugural ONE Submission Grappling World Title

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Singapore, October 26: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu phenom Kade Ruotolo eyes MMA debut after winning his first title in ONE Championship this past weekend on October 22 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Ruotolo made his second appearance in ONE Championship, and it was more satisfying than his first as he captured the inaugural ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Title at ONE Fight Night 3: Lineker vs. Andrade, adding to his already illustrious career.

The 19-year-old put on a dominant display, submitting four-time Sambo World Champion Uali Kurzhev with a heel hook a little over four minutes into their clash at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Ruotolo came to the ONE Circle with a big reputation, stemming from his recent win at the ADCC World Championships. But the 33-year-old Kurzhev was not overawed.

The Russian took the fight to his American counterpart, but Ruotolo gave his sport the lead in the now oft-discussed BJJ vs Sambo debate.

"He came in extremely hot, and extremely aggressive, at that sambo pace. It [was] what I was expecting. He caught me clean with a foot sweep in the beginning. I got to give him props for that, it was a beautiful foot sweep," Ruotolo said.

"And, you know, I definitely would've liked to show my wrestling a bit more. I think I got one more takedown in there. But it was an amazing match. And I'm so thankful for Uali to take it."

Ruotolo got his start in BJJ at just 3 years old alongside his twin brother Tye, and he has assured fans that his life revolves around the sport.

Despite his relative youth, Ruotolo has amassed quite a resume in the grappling world, and the Hawaiian-born ace feels that capturing the ONE World Title ranks among his proudest achievements.

"As I said after the match, I was born and raised on these mats and it's all I know. So, I'm just thankful for this," he said.

"It's right there at the top (winning the ONE title), it's got to be. To me, ONE is the biggest platform of martial arts. And you know, winning this belt for ONE is right there with my ADCC title. I'm not going to put one over the other. It's right there with it, and I'm so relieved, so thankful. This is one of my biggest accomplishments yet," he said.

Alongside his dedication to BJJ, Ruotolo has been eyeing an MMA debut and that dream could now be closer than ever to coming to fruition at ONE Championship, home to some of the best MMA fighters in the world.

"Guaranteed next year, without a doubt. We will be in the Circle with gloves on. As far as what exact month, I can't be certain. There's no specific date that we have signed, but definitely preferably within the first six months of next year, guaranteed for sure," Ruotolo said.

The biggest question for any athlete transitioning into MMA is whether their skills are well-rounded enough to be able to compete against the sport's elite.

Ruotolo revealed that he does in fact have some training under his belt in Muay Thai, and he believes that he will be well placed to continue his winning ways in a new sport.

"It's very new to me, and jiu-jitsu, not that I don't love it, of course, but it's like, I've been doing it my entire life. I'm learning every day and it's refreshing," he said.

"I'm just going to keep refining my skills. And I do believe [that in my next] step in that Circle, I'm going to make some big waves for sure."

Source: Media Release