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Jozef Chen labels Tye Ruotolo as "the best opponent" he's ever fought ahead of their upcoming submission grappling match.
At ONE Fight Night 23, Chen will make his ONE Championship debut in a non-title catchweight bout.
The 19-year-old grappler is immediately jumping into deep waters with his new promotion, as he's been matched up against Ruotolo, the ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion.
During an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Chen discussed his difficult challenge against Ruotolo.
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Despite facing many high-level grapplers, the South African debutant had this to say about the ONE welterweight submission grappling king:
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"[Tye Ruotolo is] definitely an exciting challenge for me and definitely the best opponent I've fought to date."
Jozef Chen has plenty to prove under the ONE Championship banner.
With that said, the 19-year-old shouldn't be overlooked by Tye Ruotolo's fans, as Chen has made a name for himself by securing first place in the 2023 ADCC European Trials and third place in the 2022 ADCC Asian & Oceania Trials.
Watch Chen's entire interview with Sportskeeda below:
What's at stake for Jozef Chen against Tye Ruotolo?
Jozef Chen won't have an opportunity to dethrone Tye Ruotolo of his world title at ONE Fight Night 23. Instead, the B-Team affiliate can quickly separate himself as one of the most talked about grapplers in the Chatri Sityodtong-run promotion.
Ruotolo and his twin brother, ONE lightweight world champion Kade Ruotolo, have been significant contributors to the promotion's expansion into submission grappling. Therefore, a win at ONE Fight Night 23 would solidify Chen as a superstar to keep an eye on moving forward.
It'll be easier said than done for Chen, as Ruotolo has been unbeatable through six promotional appearances. The 21-year-old last competed on April 5, defeating Izaak Michell inside the distance for his fourth submission under the ONE banner.
ONE Fight Night 23 features several intriguing matchups inside the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, including Ruotolo vs Chen.
Friday's event in Bangkok, Thailand can be seen live and for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
