“I’m really grateful” - Tye Ruotolo thankful for chance to share the Circle with ‘really good kid’ Jozef Chen
Tye Ruotolo was thrilled about the opportunity to share the ring with 19-year-old grappling sensation Jozef Chen.
Returning to the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, the reigning ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion went toe-to-toe with Chen in an entertaining 10-round clash that ultimately saw the ONE Championship mainstay secure his seventh-straight win with the promotion.
Speaking to members of the media during his post-fight press appearance, Tye Ruotolo had nothing but positive things to say about his opponent and the opportunity to roll with him on martial arts' biggest global stage.
"He's such a good representative of jiu-jitsu," Ruotolo said. "[He has] really amazing technique, and [he’s] a really good kid. I'm really grateful to have the match with him."
Ruotolo moved to a perfect 7-0 with his win over Chen. What's next for the 21-year-old star remains to be seen, but one thing we do know—Ruotolo will be making his long-awaited move to mixed martial arts sooner rather than later.
If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE Fight Night 23 replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.
Tye Ruotolo eager to make his MMA debut after seeing his brother's success at ONE 167
Before making his return to the Mecca of Muay Thai last month, Tye Ruotolo was seen in the corner of his brother, Kade Ruotolo, at ONE 167 as the ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion made his MMA debut.
Kade Ruotolo squared off with American MMA standout Blake Cooper inside the sold-out Impact Arena in Bangkok. There, he secured a sensational first-round finish, setting the stage for what could be an iconic career in not one, but two sports.
Speaking about his brother's MMA debut, Tye Ruotolo revealed that he's more motivated than ever to make the move himself and dawn the four-ounce gloves.
"It's something I've been wanting to do for a while, especially after watching my brother go and kill it," he said. "It's something that I really want to do."
When and where he makes his MMA debut is unclear, but Ruotolo recently revealed that late 2024/early 2025 is the targeted timeframe.