Kade Ruotolo downplays Tommy Langaker’s heel hook attempt

Kade Ruotolo was quick to dismiss the notion that he was in any real danger against Tommy Langaker in their ONE Fight Night 11 co-main event.

Ruotolo added another successful ONE lightweight submission grappling world title defense on Friday night, scoring a unanimous decision victory over Norwegian veteran Tommy Langaker. The bout went the full 10 minutes, with things very close between the two competitors. However, in the end, Ruotolo walked out of the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium with the win largely due to his aggressive style of submission hunting.

During his post-fight interview inside the ring with Mitch Chilson, Kade Ruotolo suggested that an early heel hook attempt from Tommy Langaker was not nearly as tight as it appeared.

“His outside ankle heel hook was really nothing,” Ruotolo said.

Things were looking a little rough for Kade Ruotolo in the early going as Langaker scored a catch, putting him ahead on the scorecards. With time ticking down, Ruotolo was able to secure a catch of his own, evening things up and ultimately winning the bout in the eyes of the judges.

With another big world title defense added to his resume, Ruotolo will continue to work toward an eventual transition to mixed martial arts.

Chomping at the bit to try his hand at MMA, Ruotolo has taken a more measured approach to making the movie, a choice that will undoubtedly serve him well once he does strap on the four-ounce gloves. Who would you like to see Ruotolo mix it up with once he steps inside the CIrcle for his long-teased MMA debut?

If you missed any of the action or just want to relive one of the most epic nights in ONE Championship history, the ONE Fight Night 11 replay can be watched anytime on demand via Amazon Prime Video in North America.