“He’s stepping into my territory” - Adrian Lee feels Kade Ruotolo’s grappling is beatable in MMA

ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion Kade Ruotolo has been undefeated in MMA since his debut, making him one of ONE Championship's most hyped young stars.

However, if you ask fellow undefeated phenom Adrian Lee, grappling accolades can only go so far once you're throwing punches and elbows. So when Ruotolo claims that no one can live with him in the ground, 'The Phenom' is quick to disagree.

After ONE 172 where Adrian Lee recently clinched his third submission victory, he took the time to sit down with Nick Atkin for a quick chat. Talking about Ruotolo's claim, he said:

"I do think that’s an incorrect statement because it’s not grappling. It’s MMA. And I’ve been doing this my whole life, so he’s stepping into my territory."

---

“He’s a huge rising star” - Adrian Lee says it’s "inevitable" he’ll cross paths with fellow undefeated prospect Kade Ruotolo

Both Adrian Lee and Kade Ruotolo are young, undefeated, and steamrolling through their opponents. With both men competing in the lightweight division, Lee thinks it's only a matter of time before their paths cross. Talking to South China Morning Post, Lee said:

"I definitely think a fight with Kade is kind of inevitable. He’s a huge other rising star in ONE Championship, and he has a big background in grappling. So I think that’s really pushing him. So I’m excited to fight him in the future."

And the parallels don't stop there. Both fighters made their MMA debut at ONE 167 in June 2024, and both now hold three professional wins - all by submission. So whether it happens soon or somewhere down the road, the potential rivalry feels like the sort of next-gen clash that ONE Championship is bound to feature as a series.

When the time comes, someone will have to kiss their perfect record goodbye.