Kade Ruotolo’s best performances in ONE Championship

It’s no secret that Kade Ruotolo is one of the best submission grapplers in the world right now.

The one-half of the prolific Ruotolo brothers, alongside his twin and fellow ONE superstar Tye Ruotolo, is definitely must-see TV each time he enters the Circle.

At just 20 years old, Ruotolo is truly wise beyond his years and already possesses technical mastery and the incredibly high grappling IQ of a seasoned warrior.

That prodigious talent is amplified by his relentless and seemingly reckless attacks that often leave a lot of jaws on the floor.

On June 10, Ruotolo will return to the Circle for the first time this year, as he defends his throne against Tommy Langaker in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs Menshikov on Prime Video.

Before his fourth fight under the ONE Championship banner, let’s rank his three performances in 2022 that earned him the nod as ONE submission grappling athlete of the year.

#3 Vs Shinya Aoki

Taking on an MMA superstar and a submission grappling icon like Shinya Aoki in your promotional debut is a daunting task for anyone.

Kade Ruotolo, though, fearlessly dove in headfirst and came out triumphant in his trial by fire at ONE 157.

The San Diego, California native constantly pushed the action for the full 10 minutes and forced the usually aggressive Aoki to defend for most of the bout.

Early on, he tested 'Tobikan Judan’s' strong judo background, as he outmuscled him in the clinch and was able to impose his strong wrestling game.

Ruotolo even used a fake ankle pick to capture the Japanese legend’s back and threaten him with a rear naked choke.

Moreover, fighting in a cage didn’t seem to bother the phenom one bit. He even showcased his insane creativity halfway into the fight, jumping on the Circle wall like a ninja to perform another highlight reel-worthy back take.

While Ruotolo was unable to submit Aoki, he clearly won the bout through his dominant positions, effective control, and submission attempts.

Rewatch Ruotolo’s sensational ONE debut below:

#2 Vs Matheus Gabriel

Ruotolo proved he was not messing around in his first official business as lightweight submission grappling king.

He ushered in his first world title defense at ONE on Prime Video 5 by slamming challenger Matheus Gabriel to the mats moments after the bell rang.

The youngest ADCC world champion once again threatened an ankle pick, forcing Gabriel to react.

In one swift motion, he performed a beautiful body lock and lifted the Brazilian up, as his foe was left with no choice but to pull guard mid-air.

Gabriel was very active off his back, forcing the champ to work on breaking his guard and even retaliating with leg lock attempts.

At one point, the lightweight submission grappling king even performed a wild cartwheel pass and went straight for a gnarly heel hook.

Ruotolo looked like he got it deep after going belly up, but the gutsy challenger soldiered through the pain and refused to yield.

However, Ruotolo’s never-ending gas tank was just too much for Gabriel, who eventually ran out of steam after 10 minutes.

Relive how Ruotolo retained his world title:

#1 Vs Uali Kurzhev

With the chance to become the inaugural ONE lightweight submission grappling world titleholder, Kade Ruotolo brought his A-game and added another feather to his glowing resume.

We saw just how deadly the 20-year-old can be when he forced Russian powerhouse Uali Kurzhev to tap in agony at ONE on Prime Video 3.

Ruotolo did not walk away unscathed, as he felt the Sambo specialist’s power right away courtesy of a foot sweep.

The BJJ prodigy, though, sprang right back up and eventually got Kurzhev’s back after a failed throw.

Once the fight hit the mats, it was practically game, set, match. Ruotolo's incredible leg dexterity was on full display when he flattened out his brutish foe with a tight body lock.

Kurzhev displayed impressive defense to survive the choke but was clearly living on borrowed time.

After a brief entanglement, Ruotolo easily passed the Russian’s guard and dove for the heel hook. He cranked on it like no tomorrow and proudly took home 26 pounds of solid gold soon after.

Watch Kade Ruotolo’s crowning moment here: