“We’ll see who breaks first” - Blake Cooper says he’ll drown MMA debutant Kade Ruotolo in deep waters
American mixed martial arts star Blake Cooper of Hawaii is looking to take his next opponent into deep water to fully test his fighting capabilities. This means carrying reigning ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion Kade Ruotolo across rounds if necessary, according to Cooper.
Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Cooper says he expects Ruotolo to come out of the gates firing on all cylinders early, which will likely prove detrimental to his gas tank.
Cooper said:
"I feel like he’s gonna try to push the pace on me. So I’m ready. I’m ready to match his pace, and we’ll see who breaks first."
Blake Cooper is set to welcome Kade Ruotolo to the professional ranks when the latter makes his pro-MMA debut at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II on Prime Video.
The event broadcasts live from the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action on U.S. primetime, live and absolutely free on Friday, June 7th, only on Amazon Prime Video.
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the event.
Blake Cooper promises fans better showing after disappoining ONE debut: "It's gonna be a different fight"
27-year-old Blake Cooper was unsuccessful in his ONE Championship debut against talented Swiss fighter Maurice Abevi at ONE Fight Night 14 on Prime Video last September 2023.
This is why the American star vows to put together a better performance in his second appearance in the world's largest martial arts organization.
He told ONE Championship:
"I’m doing things a lot different this time around and preparation is a lot better this time, so you know it’s gonna be a different fight."
Of course, that's easier said than done against an absolute phenom like Kade Ruotolo. Needless to say, Cooper will have to be at the top of his game against the 21-year-old phenom.