"He has some solid wins" - Kade Ruotolo says Francisco Lo is a worthy foe after proving himself against "high-level" guys

Reigning and undisputed ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion Kade Ruotolo of the United States is excited to square off with Brazilian phenom and ONE Championship newcomer 'Chico' Francisco Lo this weekend.

Judging by the heat in their intense faceoff at the ONE Fight Night 21 ceremonial weigh-ins, it seems Ruotolo and Lo are poised to put on an exciting show for the fans.

Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Ruotolo said he is pumped to throw down with Lo because of the quality of opposition the Brazilian has beaten in his career.

Ruotolo said:

"Honestly, what excites me is his last solid win. I saw him get a submission win over [ADCC Trials winner] Jacob Couch, and he beat some high-level guys. And I've seen that win over [ADCC Trials winner] William Tackett, and he has some solid wins under his belt."

Ruotolo is set to face Lo in a 180-pound catchweight submission grappling contest. His lightweight gold will not be on the line.

The two do battle at ONE Fight Night 21: Eersel vs. Nicolas on Prime Video. The event broadcasts live from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live on U.S. primetime, Friday, April 5th via Amazon Prime Video.

MMA debut looming for Kade Ruotolo: "I've been wanting to do that"

Submission grappling star Kade Ruotolo has talked about making the transition to MMA for over a year now, and it seems it's closer to happening than ever. The 21-year-old has told several reporters during ONE Fight Night 21 fight week that his next fight in ONE Championship will be under MMA rules.

He told South China Morning Post:

"I don't have a specific name. I just want to get my feet into the water and finally make that debut. It's been a long time that I've been wanting to do that. I've wanted to [do this] for a while."