Kade Ruotolo is going to be a problem in MMA.

Last Friday at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II, the reigning ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion competed in his first bout in the all-encompassing sport and won it with ease at the expense of compatriot Blake Cooper inside the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. 

The highly anticipated transition of Ruotolo was well worth the wait for fans, as the Atos representative delivered another exciting performance inside the Circle.

Kade Ruotolo announces his arrival with an emphatic debut victory

The American showcased a solid, striking game that had never before been seen in a professional setting and later went to his bread and butter by taking down Cooper and later finding the fight-ending submission. 

Following the match, he told ONE commentator Mitch Chilson how he felt after claiming his first win in the new sport. “I feel amazing! It just feels so good to make that debut. To be entirely honest, I’m a tiny bit rusty on the striking, I was feeling amazing in practice, and that debut energy – that nervous energy – I feel like I could have been a little sharper on the feet, but yeah, I’m feeling great,” he said. 

Despite Ruotolo admitting to having some “nervous energy” at the start of the match, it did not seem to affect his aggressiveness as he controlled the fight from the get-go. He credited the work he put in with his coaches and his brother to prepare him for anything that could happen – including his debut jitters – so that he could execute their game plan perfectly. 

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“Like I said, it’s my debut so there’s a little bit of that nervous energy, for sure. I was feeling really sharp in the back room with the boys. As soon as you get in here, you just want to scrap, you just want to let it all out. I’m just so thankful for my coaches for ONE, definitely couldn’t have gotten the results today without my coaches,” he said. 

Kade Ruotolo feels Mikey Musumeci will be his toughest challenge to date

After getting his hand raised in MMA, there is no doubt that he can be a force to be reckoned with in the division if he chooses to continue fighting there. However, his immediate future will see him back on the mats as he is scheduled to defend his prestigious belt against the ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion, Mikey Musumeci, at ONE 168: Denver on September 6.

It will be the first champion versus champion match in ONE’s submission grappling division, and considering the level of competition he will be up against, the 21-year-old is naturally ecstatic. “Yeah that’s wild,” he said. “I know a lot of people are psyched up for that for sure. I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t think I’d get the submission. To be a hundred percent honest, I think I’m gonna get the sub in that one. Mikey’s an amazing competitor, pound-for-pound one of the best in the world.”