Kade Ruotolo feels he’s starting on a new exciting journey in potential MMA jump

Kade Ruotolo has reached the highest peaks of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but he feels he’s walking into a new journey when it comes to mixed martial arts.

The reigning ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion is putting in the work for a potential move to MMA, and he told Jiu-Jitsu Times that he feels like he’s a newcomer altogether.

Ruotolo has teased that he’s coming over to MMA before 2023 ends, but this is the first time that he’s talked about his experience training for the sport.

“I’ve been falling more and more in love with MMA every single day. It’s just newer to me – I’m feeling like a white belt again, and it’s refreshing to have something new to learn every day.”

Ruotolo has been a lifelong BJJ artist and is already considered among the greatest grapplers of his generation.

At just 19 years old, the California native became the youngest world champion in ADCC history when he captured the gold medal in the male 77-kilogram division at the 2022 ADCC World Championships in September of that year.

Ruotolo then became the inaugural ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion when he submitted Uali Kurzhev for the gold at ONE on Prime Video 3 in October last year.

Now 20 years old, Ruotolo is set for the second defense of his ONE world title when he takes on Tommy Langaker in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov on Prime Video.

Ruotolo’s world title defense against Langaker goes down on June 9 at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok. The whole card will be available live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.