"I loved every second of it" - Kade Ruotolo says successful mixed martial arts debut left him yearning for more

There were never any doubts as to whether Kade Ruotolo would be able to handle the mental aspect of competing in MMA.

Of course, the sport is incredibly demanding physically when it comes to combining all aspects of striking and grappling together.

However, arguably the biggest test for any athlete who decides to make the switch is getting into the mindset of an MMA fighter.

This is something that actually appealed to Ruotolo when he decided to compete in MMA as he knew that he had a fire inside him for fighting.

At ONE 167, he put this and his improving skillset to the test in an MMA debut against Blake Cooper where he got the first-round submission win.

By his own admittance, it wasn't quite the smooth performance that he was hoping for but this didn't take away from the feeling of getting his hand raised.

As one of the biggest adrenaline junkies you will find in combat sports today, Ruotolo told The MMA Hour that making his MMA debut made him want to compete again immediately after:

"Honestly I loved every second of it, the second it ended, I wanted to step back in the ring and fight again that night, you know what I mean? It just made me want to come back for more."

Watch the full interview below:

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Kade Ruotolo will be back soon in MMA

Kade Ruotolo hopes that by the end of 2024, he will get another chance to compete in MMA.

For now, his attention must turn to a grappling super fight where he will put his ONE lightweight world championship on the line.

It's champion vs champion in Denver at ONE 168 as flyweight grappling champion Mikey Musumeci moves up not one, not two, but three weight classes for this must-see clash with Kade Ruotolo.

Only one champion can come out on top before both men go back to their individual pursuits.

ONE 168 will air live at US prime time from the Ball Arena in Denver on September 6.