Submission grappling phenom Tye Ruotolo is now just days away from his biggest challenge yet inside the Circle. On Friday, at ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III, the 20-year-old black belt will square off with current middleweight MMA king and former light heavyweight titleholder Reinier “The Dutch Knight” de Ridder in one of the most intriguing submission grappling matches ever staged in ONE. 

When Ruotolo meets the Combat Brothers representative at 1st Bank Center in Colorado, he’ll be face-to-face with a man several inches taller and a number of pounds heavier.

Tye Ruotolo is excited to take on the physically larger Reinier De Ridder

After making his ONE debut last May at lightweight, the Californian moved up 10 pounds for a catchweight match in his next appearance, winning both of those contests in dominant fashion. The Atos representative will now jump up 25 more pounds – two weight classes above his natural weight – to take on the Breda native.

 For Ruotolo, the challenge of a larger, stronger opponent and the chance to showcase the true power of his technique excites him. He said, “It’s going to be a crazy match. A little bit of a David and Goliath situation. So I’m excited to take him down and show the true essence of what jiu-jitsu is all about – going for the kill no matter the size of your opponent.” 

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 With his 100 percent finishing rate inside the Circle and ultra-aggressive approach to jiu-jitsu, Ruotolo is widely regarded as one of the most entertaining and dangerous grapplers on the planet.

Tye Ruotolo would be eyeing to finish the bout with a D’Arce choke

But de Ridder is certainly no pushover. A BJJ and judo black belt, the Dutch athlete is considered by many to be MMA’s finest grappler. Despite the Dutchman’s physical advantages and proven skills on the ground, the young American comes into the matchup brimming with confidence and ready to score his third consecutive submission.

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“I plan on D’Arcing him. I know he has a good D’Arce choke, and I definitely want to show him how it’s done correctly. I think it might take a couple of minutes, but I think the D’Arce is the way I want to get him. I’ll take anything though. I’m a submission hunter. Whatever comes my way I’ll take first. I’m not going to pass it up. He’s a tough guy, so I’m not going to be choosy out here.”