“Come get it” - Relive welterweight submission grappling king Tye Ruotolo’s call-out of challenger Izaak Michell in 2023
Reigning ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion Tye Ruotolo has a list and plans to cross one of the names off when he returns to the ring this Friday night.
Emanating from the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, ONE Fight Night 21 will see Ruotolo step back into the spotlight, ready to defend his crown against Australian standout Izaak Michell.
"I got a hit list, you know? I know Izaak Michell and Pedro Marinho are both good matches," Rutolo said. "Whoever feels like they can challenge me, come get it."
Tye Ruotolo will put his 26 pounds of gold on the line for the first time since scoring a unanimous decision victory over Magomed Abdulkadirov at ONE Friday Fights 16 in November. That moved the IBJJF world champion to a perfect 5-0 under the ONE banner and etched his name in the history books, becoming the promotion's inaugural welterweight submission grappling strap.
Izaak Michell primed to give Tye Ruotolo the toughest test of his ONE Championship run
Hoping to end Tye Ruotolo's reign early is Izaak Michell, a BJJ star who has trained under some of the biggest names in the sport, including Leo Arruda, John Danaher, and Craig Jones.
Growing up in Adelaide, South Australia, Michell seemed destined to become a footballer before discovering 'the gentle art' at the age of 16. He left home two years later to train alongside the legendary Renzo Gracie.
Over the last several years, Michell has earned a slew of accolades in jiu-jitsu — his biggest being a first-place finish at the 2021 IBJJF world championships as a brown belt. The following year, he placed first in the ADCC Asia & Oceania Trials and topped the podium at the Who’s Next Tournament that same year.
Can Izaak Michell take the next step and claim his first ONE world championship this Friday night, or will Tye Ruotolo continue his dominant reign over the welterweight grappling division?
ONE Championship fans in North America can watch ONE Fight Night 21 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on April 5.