ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo returns to action after his successful MMA debut against Blake Cooper at ONE 167. He’ll return to his bread and butter to defend his title against Mikey Musumeci at ONE 168 in Denver, Colorado on September 6th.

In a recent interview, ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Demetrious Johnson revealed a key piece of advice he gave to Kade Ruotolo before his fight against Blake Cooper in June.

Demetrious Johnson’s advice to Kade Ruotolo

Brazilian phenom Kade Ruotolo dominated the submission grappling scene throughout his professional career, consistently eliminating opponents on his way to becoming a ONE World Champion. However, last year, the elite jiu-jitsu competitor made a splash by announcing his intention to transition to MMA. He finally made his debut earlier this year against Blake Cooper, and he wasted no time by using his grappling expertise to secure a first-round victory.

In a recent interview on the Jaxxon podcast, Demetrious Johnson revealed the advice he gave to Ruotolo before his MMA debut. “His grappling is so good. I just told him, ‘Get to where you’re the strongest’. If he does that, it’s going to be an easy fight,” the 37-year-old said.

Johnson has been a veteran MMA fighter for nearly two decades and recently showcased his grappling prowess by winning gold in the IBJJF Masters Worlds featherweight brown belt division, going undefeated in all six matches. His advice proved effective for Kade Ruotolo on his MMA debut, but can it prove effective again?

Ruotolo reveals his plan to defeat Mikey Musumeci

Both Kade Ruotolo and current ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion, Mikey Musumeci, competed at ONE 167, albeit in different weight classes. While Musumeci dominated Gabriel Sousa in the bantamweight submission grappling match, Ruotolo made a successful lightweight MMA debut against Blake Cooper.

Now, Musumeci sets his sights on lightweight gold, aiming to dethrone Ruotolo in a highly anticipated super-fight. The champion, meanwhile, is ready for his toughest challenge yet. Ruotolo has a plan to protect his title with a submission, as he revealed in his latest interview with renowned MMA reporter Ariel Helwani.

Confident in his grappling skills, Ruotolo claimed to submit Musumeci in the circle, as he said, “I think I’ll get the submission. I’d be lying if I said anything otherwise.” Heading into ONE 168 in Denver, will Demetrious Johnson’s advice once again help Kade Ruotolo defend his ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Title against Mikey Musumeci?

Musumeci’s grappling skills are no less impressive than Ruotolo’s. This clash of legends is certain to be an intriguing matchup. Stay tuned for further updates!