Kade Ruotolo reveals what he had to give up when he became ONE world champion

Kade Ruotolo knew that the work of a world champion doesn’t end inside the circle.

The reigning ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion said in an interview with ONE Championship that he’s had less free time now than when he was still chasing a world title.

Ruotolo, who’s also the youngest ADCC world champion, is set to defend his ONE Championship gold against Tommy Langaker at ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov on Prime Video next month.

Already putting in the work, the 20-year-old said he’s had to skip some weekend fun so he could focus on his impending world title defense in Bangkok.

Ruotolo said:

“Man, a lot of it, I guess. A lot of the free time, I say not even luxuries, but just the freedoms that most people get to have to go party on the weekends to go have fun. Here you go have fun then not so much focus on you know, it's like a full-time job, you know.”

Ruotolo, who was 19 at the time, captured the 77-kilogram world title in the 2022 ADCC World Championships in September before completing his set a month later in ONE Championship.

Facing off against Sambo world champion Uali Kurzhev, Ruotolo showed his chops and submitted the Russian grappler with a nasty heel hook to become the inaugural ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion at ONE on Prime Video 3 in Malaysia.

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu phenom has since defended the gold against Matheus Gabriel at ONE on Prime Video 5 in December in the Philippines.

Heading into his second world title defense, Ruotolo will take on Langaker on June 9 at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Thailand.

ONE Fight Night 11, just like all of ONE Championship’s Amazon cards, is available live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.