Kade Ruotolo credits Bob Marley for his insightful mindset

Kade Ruotolo takes inspiration from legendary Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter Bob Marley.

Ruotolo is gearing up for his second ONE lightweight submission grappling world title defense on June 9 as he squares off against Norwegian veteran Tommy Langaker in the ONE Fight Night 11 co-main event. Ahead of his highly anticipated return, the 20-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu prodigy sat down with ONE Championship to discuss what inspires him to be the best possible competitor he can be.

“I don't think people realize sometimes how much training, how much sacrifice goes into it, you know, so, you know, Bob Marley said one time, you know, ‘The greatness of a man is not how much wealth [he] acquires, but the ability he has to affect those positively around him’. So that's what I believe.”

For those unfamiliar, Bob Marley was one of the pioneers of reggae music. Fusing different genres together, his unique voice and songwriting sparked an entire generation to embrace love and spirituality. Becoming a symbol of Jamaican music and culture, Marley tragically passed away at the age of 36 due to malignant melanoma. His music and legacy still resonate with fans more than 40 years after his passing.

Kade Ruotolo vs. Tommy Langaker won’t be the only ONE world title clash at ONE Fight Night 11 next month. In the evening’s headliner, two-division ONE world champion Regian Eersel will put his ONE lightweight Muay Thai world championship on the line against Russian debutant Dmitry Menshikov.

Eersel will go into the matchup riding an impressive nine-fight undefeated streak inside the Circle.

ONE Championship’s return to the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium will also feature former ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon Singha Mawynn. Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America can catch ONE Fight Night 11 live and for free in U.S. primetime on June 9.