ONE 168: Kade Ruotolo says fans shouldn't dismiss his underrated guard game against Mikey Musumeci

Kade Ruotolo is preparing for a submission grappling contest that will take place at the very peak of the sport. The lightweight world champion has been competing at the highest level for a long time in his career and has come across many other elite athletes.

However, ONE 168 on Sept. 6 sees him take on a fellow world champion under the ONE banner when he crosses paths with Mikey Musumeci for the first time. The flyweight king will be moving up several weight classes to make his grappling super fight happen at the Ball Arena in Denver.

Considering both men's ability to dominate and submit opponents, the match-up itself provides many interesting questions.

Whilst you may expect Mikey to fight off his back considering his game and the fact that he's the smaller of the two men, Kade is preparing for anything.

In an interview with ONE Championship, he spoke about how he will be ready to fight off his back and showcase his guard game if needed:

"If I am on my back, I probably am gonna do a little bit more than just the average half-guard and figure out some way to get on the leg or get up."

Kade Ruotolo is usually dominant from the top

Whilst his guard game is something that he's always ready to use, Kade Ruotolo is better known for his ability to break through guards than putting his own into practice.

Both he and his brother bring a relentless pace and constant submission threats to the table which usually forces their opponents into a defensive shell. From here, he's able to remain on top and pass their guards to try and secure the finish but this will be a difficult task against Musumeci.

The two champions are both incredibly diverse competitors so you can be sure that they will be ready to adapt in the moment on Sept. 6.

Tickets for ONE 168: Denver are available via Ticketmaster.