"Kade's BJJ style is perfect for MMA" - Lito Adiwang confident Kade Ruotolo's MMA debut will go well
Lito Adiwang is thrilled to catch Kade Ruotolo's MMA debut when ONE Championship returns to the Impact Arena on June 7.
The ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion squares off against fellow American athlete Blake Cooper in a lightweight MMA tussle, which will be part of a stacked ONE 167 lineup early next month.
Having been a fan of the 21-year-old since he made his promotional bow in May 2022, 'Thunder Kid' fully backs the BJJ black belter to enjoy similar success in the all-encompassing discipline.
In particular, the SOMA Fight Club athlete pointed at Kade Ruotolo's ultra-aggressive approach as something that could be his backbone to success should he decide to continue down the MMA path.
Speaking to ONE Championship, Adiwang said:
"Kade's BJJ style is perfect for MMA. He never plays safe. He doesn't just go to certain positions just to rest. A lot of BJJ guys play safe, and when they get to a certain position, that's the only time they attack."
Truth be told, that assessment by the former ranked strawweight MMA contender is right on the money.
Kade, alongside his twin brother, Tye, has displayed some of the most efficient submission-hunting games ever witnessed inside the Circle. And should they add a couple more facets to their bread and butter, success will certainly follow suit.
Kade Ruotolo beyond thrilled to open MMA account
Kade Ruotolo has long been eying a stint in MMA, and now, just weeks away from his debut, he remains stoked to finally turn his dream into reality.
Through his fight camp, the ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion's passion for the sport has been burning brighter than ever, as he narrated during an exchange with ONE Championship:
"Oh man, it's a whole different world, that's for sure. I've been falling in love with it more and more every single day, though. It's something new. It's exhilarating."
North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription can catch the entire ONE 167 card live and for free in U.S. primetime on June 7.