Kade and Tye Ruotolo have always had each other's backs, and that unwavering bond was on full display at ONE 171 last week.
As Kade stepped inside the circle for his third professional MMA bout, his twin brother Tye was right there, providing guidance from his corner.
The 22-year-old phenom squared off against Argentinian veteran Nicolas Vigna in a 175-pound catchweight contest at the magnificent Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar, and from the opening bell, he wasted no time asserting his dominance.
Utilizing his world-class grappling, Kade smothered Vigna, attacking with heel hooks, ground-and-pound, and a rear-naked choke.
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Throughout the bout, Tye could be heard shouting instructions, urging his brother to capitalize on opening and demanding more authority in his ground strikes:
“One big one, Kade! One big one!”
Vigna showed heart, fending off the onslaught and surviving multiple submission attempts. However, the end was inevitable. At the 3:04 mark of the first round, Kade fastened a tight arm-triangle choke, forcing the tap and sealing yet another first-round finish.
With the emphatic victory, Kade improved to a flawless 3-0 record in MMA, all by first-round stoppage, while handing Vigna the first loss of his professional career. He also took home a well-earned $50,000 performance bonus for his efforts.
Kade Ruotolo to corner Tye Ruotolo at ONE Fight Night 31
Next, the roles will likely be reversed. Kade Ruotolo is expected to be in Tye Ruotolo’s corner when his twin defends the ONE welterweight submission grappling world title against rising Canadian star Dante Leon at ONE Fight Night 31 on May 2.
The highly anticipated showdown will take place at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, airing live in U.S. primetime.
ONE Fight Night 31 will stream live on Amazon’s Prime Video in the United States and Canada, available free to all subscribers.