"The urge has been growing so much more" - Grappling superstar Kade Ruotolo on why he finally took the plunge to MMA
After years of talking about it and putting it off for the time being, Kade Ruotolo is set to finally make the jump in his career. The ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion has always had MMA on his mind during his incredible career as one of the best jiu-jitsu competitors in the game.
At ONE 167, he makes his MMA debut after putting in the hard work in the gym and improving his overall game.
Taking on Blake Cooper at the Impact Arena isn't just something to do for the elite grappler, it's something he has been thinking about for a long time.
In a recent interview with ONE flyweight world champion Demetrious Johnson on the MightyCast, Ruotolo spoke about his MMA origins:
"For starters, we've grown up on it. We grew up watching it. Even though I knew I had to what I had to do in jiu-jitsu first, it was always inside of me that one day I'm gonna do MMA. I wasn't sure when but I knew at some point in my lifetime. It's a bucket list. I had to fight MMA."
Kade also spoke about how this move to MMA isn't because he has lost the passion for grappling, he's just enjoying learning a new skill:
"The last couple of years that urge has been growing so much more. I love jiu-jitsu with all my heart. I've been doing jiu-jitsu my entire life. Nothing will ever take that away from me. Every time I train MMA, I'm learning something new. It's refreshing."
Watch the full interview below:
Kade Ruotolo isn't looking for a quick cash grab
One of the best signs for Kade Ruotolo ahead of his MMA debut is his passion for the sport.
As the lightweight grappling champion said himself, he hasn't lost his love for jiu-jitsu, he's just embarking on a different path for the time being.
Kade isn't here just to test himself or occupy his time, this is something that he has been planning for a long time and it all kicks off on June 7 at the Impact Arena.
ONE 167 will air live and free in US primetime for North American viewers with an active Prime Video subscription.