WATCH: BJJ superstar Kade Ruotolo shows Francisco Lo who's the boss in nasty submission victory in Bangkok
The last time Kade Ruotolo competed in a submission grappling match under the ONE Championship banner, he did what he does best — secured the win via tapout.
This happened when the reigning ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion took on Francisco Lo in a 180-pound catchweight contest at ONE Fight Night 21, held at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, in April 2024.
Check out the bout's highlights posted on the promotion's official Instagram account:
The two opened the duel with aggressive collar ties, both entering the bout with clear intentions to finish. It didn't take long for Ruotolo to establish top control, from which he began to work from inside Lo's closed guard.
After a brief scramble brought them back to their feet, the American phenom once again claimed the dominant position on the ground. This time around, he capitalized on his leverage with a seamless transition to back control, showcasing his technical brilliance.
Lo attempted to roll out of danger, but Ruotolo locked in a modified arm-in choke from the back, forcing the tap at the 4:48 mark of the 10-minute joust.
Kade Ruotolo shifts focus to MMA
Since that victory over Francisco Lo at ONE Fight Night 21, Kade Ruotolo has traded his rash guard for a pair of four-ounce mixed martial arts gloves.
The 22-year-old is currently 3-0 in the all-encompassing sport, winning all three assignments by first-round submission.
He began his MMA stint by acing his debut with flying colors — choking out a more experienced foe in Blake Cooper with a rear-naked choke in the opening frame of their June 2024 meeting.
Five months later, Ruotolo finished his next outing much quicker as he only needed 62 seconds to force Ahmed Mujtaba to wave the white flag.
Ruotolo extended his winning streak to MMA this past February, crushing Nicolas Vigna with a painful arm-triangle choke.