“That glowing feeling you get” - Kade Ruotolo credits fans for incredible high after a big win

Kade Ruotolo thanked the fans for providing him a "glowing feeling" with their support. Earlier this month, Ruotolo extended his professional MMA record to 3-0 with his third consecutive first-round submission.

Following his impressive performance at ONE 171: Qatar, Ruotolo did an interview backstage with Nick Atkin of The Bangkok Post. The 22-year-old phenom had this to say about the support he's received from fans:

"That feeling after the win, that glowing feeling you get that you can’t even explain it, is because of the fans. So honestly, thank you guys so much for all supporting [us], and hope you guys catch the next one."

Kade Ruotolo earned a $50,000 performance bonus for his first-round submission against Nicolas Vigna at ONE 171: Qatar.

Four other fighters received a performance bonus at ONE 171, including Ayaka Miura, Shamil Erdogan, Roberto Soldic, and Joshua Pacio.

The replay of ONE 171, including Ruotolo's submission win against Vigna, can be seen via the promotion's YouTube channel.

Watch Ruotolo's entire interview with Nick Atkin of The Bangkok Post below:

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Kade Ruotolo reveals MMA is his priority moving forward

Kade Ruotolo is a 4x ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion, with his last title defense being against Tommy Langaker in January 2024.

Ruotolo's latest submission grappling match under the ONE banner took place in April 2024, a rear-naked choke win in a non-title bout against Francisco Lo.

Since then, Ruotolo has pursued his dream of becoming a world champion in MMA, which has proven to be a successful venture thus far.

Following ONE 171, the 22-year-old American superstar had this to say about his future while talking to Mitch Chilson in the ring:

"I definitely want to defend my grappling title here. I got the belt, and I definitely need to defend it. But, if I’m being a hundred percent honest, MMA is in my heart a hundred percent, and it’s what I want."

Shortly after his professional MMA debut, Kade Ruotolo won the $1 million prize in the Craig Jones Invitational. Ruotolo's submission grappling resume also features an ADCC world championship, making him one of the best grapplers on the planet.

Watch Ruolo's submission against Nicolas Vigna at ONE 171 below: