“My heart’s in MMA” - Grappling megastar Kade Ruotolo loving mixed martial arts after flawless win over Ahmed Mujtaba

It goes without saying that Kade Ruotolo is hooked on mixed martial arts.

The reigning ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion made a triumphant sophomore outing in MMA last Nov. 8 after scoring another first-round finish over Ahmed Mujtaba in their lightweight encounter at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug.

Shortly after upping his MMA record to a perfect 2-0, the 21-year-old BJJ prodigy professed his love for the sport and vowed to scale even greater heights. He said:

"A little bit of everything. I want to stay on top of the mountain in jiu-jitsu, of course, defend my belt with ONE Championship, and also build my record in MMA. My heart’s in MMA, if I’m being honest. I love MMA."

There's certainly so much to love about Kade Ruotolo's MMA transition. The youngest ADCC world champion's impeccable ground game makes him an immediate threat to anyone at 170 pounds.

Despite his glaring grappling credentials, the Atos standout has been surprising everyone by utilizing his ever-improving striking repertoire.

Ruotolo once again showcased his hard work by flooring Mujtaba with a crushing overhand right and dropping some heavy ground and pound.

It was practically over once the Pakistani fighter exposed his neck, as Ruotolo latched onto his signature D'Arce choke and got the immediate tap.

Kade Ruotolo cashed in another $50,000 bonus at ONE 169

Kade and his twin brother Tye Ruotolo have practically been synonymous with performance bonus cheques in the home of martial arts.

Just a few months after claiming the one million dollar cash prize at the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI), the lightweight submission grappling king took home another massive bounty from ONE Championship.

Kade Ruotolo was one of three recipients of the $50,000 performance bonus after his slick submission win over Ahmed Mujtaba. He joined Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida and Ayaka 'Zombie' Miura who also cashed in some extra dough after their respective submission victories.

The full replay of ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug is available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.