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ONE Championship superstar Kade Ruotolo plans to secure another MMA win before recovering for the rest of the year.
The last 10 months have been unforgettable for the ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion. Since the start of 2024, Ruotolo has secured two submission grappling wins (one for his title), captured the $1 million price at the CJI Invitational, and successfully made his professional MMA debut under the ONE banner.
Nobody would have been surprised if the 21-year-old went inactive for the next few months to recover from any lingering injuries. Instead, Ruotolo accepted an MMA bout against Ahmed Mujtaba, which goes down on Nov. 8 at ONE 169.
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Heading into his sophomore MMA appearance, Ruotolo joined MMA Junkie for an interview. He had this to say about fighting one more time in 2024:
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"Yeah, my body's still pretty banged up to be honest with you, I still definitely going to get through this last one and just take the rest of the year off and recover, you know, some much-needed rest."
ONE 169 will take place inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The upcoming event, featuring three world title fights, can be seen live and for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Check out Kade Ruotolo's entire interview with MMA Junkie below:
Ahmed Mujtaba looks to stop Kade Ruotolo's momentum
Undoubtedly, Kade Ruotolo will enter ONE 169 as a sizeable favorite. With that said, Ahmed Mujtaba has an experience advantage in MMA and plans to capitalize on Ruotolo's star power to advance his career.
Mujtaba has fought eight times under the ONE Championship banner, leading to a 4-4 promotional record. The 31-year-old Pakistani lightweight has showcased his finishing abilities by securing two first-round finishes.
Mujtaba needs a win now more than ever, as he's coming off losses against high-level competition - Sage Northcutt and Halil Amir. Therefore, 'Wolverine' must overcome the odds and hand Ruotolo his first loss in the promotion.
It'll be easier said than done for Mujtaba. Ruotolo's grappling skills are world-class and his striking will improve every fight. There's a widespread belief that the 21-year-old will become a ONE world champion in MMA.
