"The tougher our matches, the more we grow" - Kade Ruotolo says elite competition brings out the best

Reigning and undisputed ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion Kade Ruotolo says only the toughest and most elite opponents can bring out the best in both he and his twin brother Tye.

The 21-year-old BJJ phenoms are among the most talented grapplers in the world today. And at such a young age, they have an entire career ahead of them.

Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Kade talked about how he and his brother continuously try to find the toughest challenges possible in their careers.

The American star said:

"We've always noticed that the tougher our matches, the more we grow as a fighter, as an individual afterwards. It's a win or a loss, you always grow so much after a tough war instead of just a match you're expected to win."

Spoken like a true champion. Coincidentally, Kade says his next opponent is likely the toughest he has ever faced under the ONE Championship banner.

Ruotolo is set to lock horns with 23-year-old Brazilian star 'Chico' Francisco Lo in a 180-pound catchweight submission grappling match at ONE Fight Night 21: Eersel vs. Nicolas on Prime Video.

The event will be broadcast live from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, April 5th.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action of ONE Fight Night 21: Eersel vs. Nicolas live and absolutely free with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

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Kade Ruotolo to MMA next? American star says watch out

At 21 years of age, Kade Ruotolo has achieved what many have spent their entire lives trying to pursue. He is a world champion in the world's largest martial arts organization and has asserted his dominance in the submission grappling realm.

Is there anything left to achieve for the American star? It seems a long rumored transition to MMA could be next.

Ruotolo told South China Morning Post in a recent interview:

"I believe this will be my last jiu-jitsu match this year until my MMA match, which is really exciting. So definitely in the near future, but I got a lot of jiu-jitsu matches that I want to do this year, so it's going to be a busy year."