"I have a lot of heart" - Kade Ruotolo says he felt comfortable throughout first MMA training camp

Kade Ruotolo is about to make a huge step in his career as he makes his MMA debut at ONE 167. There are several factors that will ease him into this transition when compared to other hopeful mixed martial artists.

Of course, his career at the very top of the submission grappling world gives him confidence in his ability to compete at the highest level. Through everything that he has accomplished with his love for jiu-jitsu, Kade already knows what he is made of and how hard he can push himself.

The big hurdle to overcome is stepping into a sport that is so different and requires a lot of experience before a fighter can feel at home. For Kade, this hasn't been an issue as he hasn't felt out of his depth at any point in his training camp for June 7.

In an interview with ONE flyweight world champion Demetrious Johnson on the MightyCast, Ruotolo spoke about his seamless his transition has been thus far:

"I like to think the transition is going well. I think the main thing is I feel comfortable in my sparring rounds and live drills. I'm not very fearful, I have a lot of heart, I'm not scared of a lot of things. My coach and my family are happy with the process."

Watch the full interview below:

This lack of fear makes Kade Ruotolo dangerous

For many elite grapplers that make their way into MMA, learning the striking game is a daunting task that comes with a lot of danger but this is something that motivates Kade Ruotolo.

He has a passion for fighting so standing and trading with another man isn't something that he is going to look to avoid at every turn.

The ONE lightweight submission grappling world championship is ready to prove himself at the Impact Arena where he takes on Blake Cooper.

ONE 167 will air live at US Prime time on June 7 and is free to watch for North American viewers with an active Prime Video subscription.