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ONE Championship showcased the beauty of grappling-exclusive matches on a global scale by bolstering its submission grappling divisions last year.
The largest martial arts organization in the world has brought in a new wave of young and talented submission specialists. That includes the Ruotolo brothers, Kade and Tye, Mikey Musumeci, and Danielle Kelly, among others.
In just a short amount of time, ONE has already delivered sensational matchups catered to die-hard fans of the grappling arts and their ever-growing new fanbase.
With that said, there’s no shortage of intriguing matchups in the promotion’s ever-expanding roster and there are still a ton of exciting grappling matches to be made.
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Here are three of the biggest submission grappling dream fights that we all want to see take place inside the circle.
#3. Kade Ruotolo vs. Tommy Langaker for the ONE lightweight submission grappling world title
Kade Ruotolo blossomed into a household name in 2022.
After becoming the youngest ADCC world champion, the 19-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace claimed the inaugural lightweight submission grappling world title by annihilating sambo world champion Uali Kurzhev.
The Atos standout has already defended his throne, besting Matheus Gabriel to end the year.
Ruotolo, who shares the same fiery competitive nature as his twin brother Tye, has no qualms about fighting against anyone the promotion sees fit. Shortly after beating Kurzhev, the American aired his desire to face fellow BJJ black belt Tommy Langaker.
The Norwegian grappler has made a name for himself on the BJJ circuit, having won the IBJJF Pans and the European Open Championship. Langaker made a seamless transition to the circle, where he left quite the first impression in his debut against another amazing talent in Renato Canuto.
While both fighters had their moments, it was Langaker who took over with his incredible transitions and constant pressure. The Wulfing Academy affiliate took home a unanimous decision victory after a 10-minute grappling war.
It’s not every day we see a world champion call out a potential challenger.
Ruotolo has not had a fight booked so far this year, and a match against another aggressive grappler like Langaker should garner a ton of interest.
It is worth noting that Tye Ruotolo is already booked against Reinier de Ridder for the promotion’s United States on-site debut at ONE Fight Night 10 in May. American fans would love to see the other half of the Ruotolo brothers defend his belt in Colorado.
#2. 'Buchecha' vs. Reinier de Ridder
This is truly a dream matchup of epic proportions between two larger-than-life individuals.
Reigning middleweight world champion Reinier de Ridder is arguably one of the best BJJ practitioners in mixed martial arts right now. ‘The Dutch Knight’ has 11 career wins by submission, with four of those taking place inside the circle.
His intricate yet highly entertaining style has garnered him a ton of fans over the years. And despite being an absolute MMA superstar, RDR still returns to his roots and competes in grappling-only matches. The 32-year-old fought BJJ legend Andre Galvao to a draw in an epic submission grappling match at ONE X.
The Combat Brothers standout will take on submission grappling star Tye Ruotolo next at ONE Fight Night 10.
On the other hand, Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida needs no introduction.
The Brazilian has achieved everything there is in BJJ and his name is often linked to the sport’s greatest of all-time conversation. The 33-year-old is an absolute wizard on the mats, whose fluid moves defy his monstrous size.
Like de Ridder, 'Buchecha' has also taken his talents to MMA, where he’s undefeated in his first four matches.
Imagine these two going back to what they do best in a 10-minute grappling showcase inside the circle. This might be a pipe dream at the moment given both fighters’ priorities, but who knows? Perhaps a submission grappling world title could even be up for grabs just to sweeten the pot.
#1. Mikey Musumeci vs. Adriano Moraes
ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion Mikey Musumeci has passed every single test inside the circle with flying colors so far.
Formidable foes like Masakazu Imanari, Cleber Sousa, and Gantumur Bayanduuren all looked average at best against ‘Darth Rigatoni’s brilliance.
The Evolve MMA star wants to test himself against the best of the best, and he already has a multi-time MMA world champion in mind.
Musumeci made it clear that he wants to face Adriano Moraes to determine the best flyweight submission grappler in the world. The 26-year-old New Jersey native said he’s even willing to face ‘Mikinho’ in his home country if need be. The promotion, of course, is expected to make its Brazil debut sometime in the near future.
Moraes, for his part, has already acknowledged Musumeci’s challenge and seems to be a willing dance partner. The 34-year-old was a NAGA No-Gi Pro Division Champion before transitioning to MMA and 10 of his 20 career wins have come via submission.
Moraes is a pressure fighter with a frightening squeeze. On paper, he does have the skills to break through Musumeci’s infallible attacking guard.
However, Moraes must first settle his trilogy match against Demetrious Johnson at ONE Fight Night 10 in May. Regardless of the outcome, a showdown between Musumeci and Moraes seems inevitable and we all can’t wait to see it happen.
