Kade Ruotolo excited to gain more MMA experience vs. Ahmed Mujtaba at ONE 169: "Get out there and fight"
Brazilian jiu-jitsu sensation Kade Ruotolo says he's excited to gain more MMA experience when he fights Pakistani veteran Ahmed Mujtaba at ONE 169.
The Californian kid returns to the MMA scene with great anticipation of what's to come. For his second fight in ONE Championship, Kade will trade leather with MMA finisher 'Wolverine' Ahmed Mujtaba, in a lightweight battle on Nov. 8 at Bangkok's Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Thailand.
One of the most notable changes for Kade this time, is the vast experience his opponent brings to the table.
Mujtaba, compared to his previous rival Blake Cooper, is one of the longest-tenured athletes on the ONE roster. Although he's bounced between wins and losses over the last few years, he's a dangerous knockout artist and a lethal submission specialist.
However, Mujtaba's resume doesn't seem to intimidate Kade one bit. On the contrary, he's happy to fight a strong competitor that will help him grow as a full-fledged mixed martial artist:
"I've only like, you said, just made the ONE MMA debut, this is going to be the second, and the main thing I really wanted to gain was MMA experience," Kade told MMA Junkie. "There's only one way to do that, it's to get out there and fight."
See the full interview below:
ONE 169: Malykhin vs. 'Reug Reug' airs live from Thailand via Prime Video for North American subscribers.
Kade Ruotolo nearly "invincible" after adding MMA into his jiu-jitsu arsensal
Kade Ruotolo says he feels almost invincible after having his first professional MMA fight in ONE Championship.
The BJJ superstar just couldn't believe how easily he adapted to the sport when he collided with Blake Cooper this past June at ONE 167. Many believed he would just stick to his strengths and get right into jiu-jitsu, but that's not exactly what happened.
Kade Ruotolo mixed it up with the kicks to stun his rival, scoring big with a couple of kicks to the body until forcing the fight into a clinch. From there, it took Kade seconds to drag Cooper onto the mat until submitting him with a rear-naked choke in the first round.
In the aftermath, Kade conceded that adding MMA into his arsenal has certainly raised his morale as a martial artist:
"I feel a bit invincible as far as, like, a toughness scale. When you start taking punches and knees and elbows, it's just like jiu-jitsu becomes so easy - or easier."