ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo embodies the absolute definition of a prodigy. This is evident by his achievement of becoming a lightweight champion at such a young age. As he approaches his upcoming fight against Mikey Musumeci, Ruotolo may have already changed his strategy.

Primarily known as a Submission Grappler and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete, Ruotolo’s signing with ONE Championship in 2021 has opened doors to potentially develop other fighting techniques, such as striking, which he’ll debut in MMA. This shift in focus is evident in his recent interview, where he discussed his evolving preferences.

What satisfies Kade Ruotolo more than choking?

Since his last win against Francisco Leo at ONE Fight Night 10, where he won the match by submission, his reliance on pure submission might be evolving. In his latest interview with Hollywood actress and writer Karyn Bryant, he revealed a lot about his upcoming fight.

During his interview with Bryant, Ruotolo was asked about his feelings the first time he landed a successful punch. He described his initial reaction when his strike connected as “very satisfying. Do you know? Like, not even food can give you that feeling. Choking people out, arm bars- all that’s great, but this was different.”

He didn’t stop there, though. Continuing, Ruotolo said, ” But there’s something about when a punch sinks into the liver and you drop someone with a body shot. It just feels a little bit better. So yeah, I’m loving it. ” Ruotolo’s words clearly show his growing interest in striking.

Ahead of his MMA debut in the upcoming bout at ONE 167, Kade Ruotolo’s newfound interest in striking might be a good fit for him, but his twin, Tye Ruotolo, the reigning welterweight champion, seems content with his current style for now. There’s no indication that Tye will be switching to striking anytime soon.

Tye Ruotolo’s excited for his twin’s debut

Tye Ruotolo is every bit as talented as his twin brother, Kade Ruotolo. Just like Kade, Tye is a prodigy who trained locally in California. He eventually earned his BJJ black belt under the renowned Andre Galvao. Tye began his professional career in 2019 at the young age of 16.

Since then, Tye hasn’t looked back. After signing with ONE Championship submission and grappling in 2021, he’s dominated his weight division, amassing a perfect record of 6 wins and 0 losses. Most of his victories have come via submission, including his most impressive win against Magomed Abduladrov.

In an interview last month, Tye Ruotolo revealed his excitement and happiness for Kade’s upcoming MMA debut. He also said Kade has always wanted to pursue MMA, and expressed confidence that his brother will throw down his opponents.

He said, “I’m super excited. It’s a whole new chapter, just in life in general, you know? We grew up training jiu-jitsu our whole lives, and we grew up beating each other up our whole lives with punches, you know. So I know that we both have a lot of fight in us.”

These words clearly show the strong admiration and support the Ruotolo brothers have for each other, leaving no room for sibling jealousy. At just 21 years old, Kade and Tye Ruotolo have achieved many things in grappling. Now, it’s a matter of fact that they’re starting to explore new avenues.

Are you excited about Kade Ruotolo’s MMA debut? Comment your thoughts below!