“A black belt in jiu-jitsu means nothing in MMA” - Kade Ruotolo says he’ll enter a whole different world in mixed martial arts foray
Kade Ruotolo believes a black belt in BJJ is meaningless in mixed martial arts if you don't have the wrestling to back it up.
The reigning ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion will kickstart a new chapter in his combat sports career on Friday, June 7 when he straps on the four-ounce gloves for his highly anticipated MMA debut.
Featuring as part of a loaded ONE 167 card inside Bangkok's Impact Arena, Ruotolo will square off with relative newcomer Blake Cooper.
Looking ahead to his MMA premiere, Ruotolo believes that wrestling will be the key to utilizing his BJJ skills against Cooper, telling ONE Championship:
“You being a black belt in jiu-jitsu means nothing in MMA if you don’t have wrestling. It means the opposite, honestly."
Ruotolo is one of the most accomplished grapplers in the sport today, holding an unbeaten record and a world title under the ONE Championship banner. In addition to that, he is also the youngest ADCC world champion in the history of the illustrious grappling tournament.
Can the 21-year-old Atos Jiu-Jitsu star find the same success in MMA that he found in grappling?
Kade Ruotolo knows he faces a tough test in his MMA debut
Kade Ruotolo's ONE 167 opponent, Blake Cooper, is relatively new to MMA, scoring back-to-back knockouts under the Cage Warriors and Destiny MMA banners in his first two professional fights. Those victories allowed him to compete inside the Circle at ONE Fight Night 14 in September.
Though he came up short in his promotional debut against Maurice Abevi, Ruotolo has no delusions about the toughness of Cooper.
"I'm super fired up," Ruotolo said. "It's been a long time coming. I have a tough opponent in Blake Cooper ahead of me. The entire Cooper family are legends. Heavy hands and good wrestling. It will be an amazing matchup. In about a month from now, I'll be back out here in Thailand."
For those who don't know, Blake Cooper comes from a long line of successful fighters, including his father Ray Cooper Jr., and two-time welterweight champion Ray Cooper III.
Will the Lion of Judah product live up to his family name and bag his first win in ONE, or will Kade Ruotolo establish himself as a legitimate threat in a second sport?
ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE 167 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on Friday, June 7.