On 8 June 2024, ONE Championship, an internationally renowned sports IP, will bring ONE 167 to fans. Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo will make his debut in the lightweight mixed martial arts arena against American fighter Blake Cooper.
Cade Ruotolo leveled up at "ONE: Pinnacle Series 21" on 6 April, submitting Francisco Lo with an arm-and-arm rear-naked choke in a 180-pound submission grappling contest on 6 April, and his imaginative and aggressive new moves have been eye-opening for Jiu-Jitsu fans. After defeating bigger opponents than himself and improving his ONE Championship record to 6-0, Ruotolo is ready to challenge himself in another area: mixed martial arts!
Ruotolo isn't ready to give up his domination of the submission grappling circle, but he hopes he can become more well-rounded and a true martial artist. "I love Jiu-Jitsu and I will spend the rest of my life training it. But I want to be the greatest true martial artist. To do this, it is necessary to learn jiu-jitsu, striking, as well as wrestling and judo. This is a true martial artist, a person who can use all kinds of skills. ”
Cooper, from Hawaii, became Ruotolo's first MMA opponent. Born into a family of fighters, Cooper turned professional in 2022 after being undefeated in amateur competition, and won his first two bouts in the professional event, finishing them all, including a submission and a TKO. In "ONE: Pinnacle Series 14," Cooper, who made his ONE Championship debut, was first rounded out by Swiss sensation Maurice Abevi at 4:36. Although he lost the match, his experience and all-round skills should not be underestimated.
"I'm super excited. Cooper's entire family is a legendary fighter with powerful punches and good wrestling. It's going to be a good game. I've watched him last time in ONE Championship. I definitely don't take anyone lightly. He's like a boxer and I'm excited. Ruotolo is a submission grappling World Champion who has never shown his striking skills, but he says he's learning and isn't afraid to take on his opponent.
"I'm not Mike Tyson, and I'm not a superhero. I'm not there yet, but my boxing is improving. Most importantly, I'm good at striking. I'm not too scared to throw punches, which is usually the biggest obstacle to overcome. My brother and I have been fighting all our lives since we were young, so I'm just as fearless when it comes to striking things. I'm learning and improving every day, so I'm confident. ”
Fans are looking forward to seeing a more well-rounded Ruotolo, and despite his rebellious ground game, ground combat in the mixed martial arts arena also allows for strikes, which are very different from the rules of submission grappling. Can Ruotolo continue his ONE winning streak under mixed martial arts rules?