Kade Ruotolo reacts to Uali Kurzhev fight for the inaugural ONE lightweight submission grappling world title

Kade Ruotolo, a 19-year-old grappler, will face Uali Kurzhev for the inaugural ONE lightweight submission grappling world championship at ONE on Prime Video 3: Lineker vs. Andrade. The event is set for October 21 at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Ruotolo became the youngest world champion in ADCC history when he captured gold in the -77 kilogram division this past September in Las Vegas.

Just a month after his success in the grappling competition, Ruotolo is once again gunning for glory and he took to Instagram to share just how important his next match is.

Kade Ruotolo wrote on his shared account with his twin Tye Ruotolo:

“Excited to be competing for the Lightweight Submission Grappling World Championship 🌎 🏆 @onechampionship @primevideo #oneonprimevideo3.”

Ruotolo is no stranger to the circle, having made his debut at ONE 157: Petchmorakot vs. Vienot this past May against Japanese legend Shinya Aoki.

The submission grappling prodigy was a wizard on the mat during his ONE Championship debut and displayed an unforeseen level of athleticism. Although he couldn’t cinch up a submission, his overall aggression and unparalleled creativity were enough for the judges to give him a unanimous decision win.

Kurzhev, meanwhile, is one of the best grapplers of his generation. He is a four-time Sambo World Champion as well as an International Judo Federation Grand Slam and Grand Prix Champion.

The match between Ruotolo and Kurzhev is also an interesting clash between two of the most artistic fighters in their respective disciplines.

Kurzhev is a student of Sambo, a Russian martial art, and employs an explosive and aggressive offense during exchanges. Ruotolo, meanwhile, has studied Brazilian jiu-jitsu since he was a kid and has sought perfection through his fluidity and dexterity on the mats.

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Kade Ruotolo wants to be one of the legends

Kade Ruotolo may be young but he has lofty expectations for himself.

In a previous interview with ONE Championship, the American grappler said he wants to become a world champion in both submission grappling and mixed martial arts. Ruotolo stated:

“Without a doubt, I want to be a multiple belt holder, for sure. A double champ if I can, not just in the jiu-jitsu scene but in MMA too. I just want to be considered one of the GOATs."

Already one of the best grapplers in the world, it’s not a far-fetched idea that Ruotolo will eventually move to MMA later in his career.