Kade Ruotolo says his guard passing skills will be deadlier in MMA since he can "clock the guy in the face"
BJJ sensation Kade Ruotolo is stoked about combining his ground game with his standup ahead of his MMA debut at ONE 167.
The Atos Jiu-Jitsu gym representative is hands down one of the best grapplers this generation has seen. Fans know him well for his strong takedowns and unique submissions. But they know little about his elusive boxing skills.
Unlike his fans, Kade's got nothing to worry about. En route to his first MMA encounter with fellow American Blake Cooper, the California native believes he'll be even more lethal now that he can use his fists to set up a potential submission.
Speaking on the MightyCast with Demetrious Johnson, Kade said:
"One of the hardest things to do in jiu-jitsu is to pass the guard, right? In Gi or NoGi, honestly, one of the hardest things to do. But how much easier is it when you get to clock the guy in the face?"
The 21-year-old phenom will always have the edge if he uses his jiu-jitsu against Cooper.
To this day, Kade remains the number one lightweight submission grappling world champion and is the youngest ADCC World Champion in promotional history.
Now, after conquering the grappling world with his talents, it's only a matter of time before he becomes a feared striker as well.
ONE 167 will air live in US Primetime on June 7, free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in North America.
Kade Ruotolo shadowboxing has all the fans amped up for his striking debut
The fans are counting down the days until Kade Ruotolo returns to the stage wearing the 4oz gloves this Friday.
The jiu-jitsu ace has taken his training seriously over the last few months in order to give the fans what they've all been waiting for.
Training at Atos Jiu-Jitsu, Kade has evolved under the mentorship of IBJJF Hall of Famer and former Strikeforce mixed martial artist Andre Galvao, which means he's well-equipped to bring home his first win in MMA.
After shadowboxing in his latest Instagram reel, the fans are all amped up to see Kade Ruotolo in MMA action this week.
Watch the clip below: