“I have mixed feelings” - Uali Kurzhev excited, but understands the challenge ahead against Kade Ruotolo

Sambo world champion Uali Kurzhev will make his ONE Championship debut when the promotion heads to Malaysia this Friday for ONE on Prime Video 3.

Thrust into the spotlight, Kurzhev will face ADCC’s youngest world champion, Kade Ruotolo. The two will square off to crown the promotion’s first lightweight submission grappling world championship.

Kurzhev is ready for the challenge ahead, but understands the tough task he faces, competing in a sport that is vastly different from the one popularized in his home country of Russia. In an interview with ONE Championship, Kurzhev said:

“I have mixed feelings right now because I’m still not a [BJJ] champion first of all. Secondly, it’s my second match in submission grappling [under] different rules, but I’m so excited for this event and to have a chance to [compete against] Kade.”

Coming off his ONE Championship debut at ONE 157 in May, Kade Ruotolo will look to make history for the second time this year, the first when he captured gold at the ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship, becoming the youngest competitor do so in the history of the tournament at just 19 years old.

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Uali Kurzhev ready to compete on combat sports’ biggest stage at ONE on Prime Video 3

While much of the focus on Friday’s submission grappling championship bout has been on ONE Championship darling Kade Ruotolo, Uali Kurzhev refuses to enter the contest with a chip on his shoulder. With nearly three decades of training, the Russian sambo star is ready to bring his unique set of skills to Ruotolo and the fans of ONE Championship:

"I don’t think I’m overlooked. I’ve been in the sport of sambo for 27 years. I’m sure Kade has never experienced an opponent like me since he’s so specialized. I’ll bring it to him in this match."

Feeling the pressure of the moment would certainly be understandable for a man making his promotional debut in a world title fight, but Uali Kurzhev has learned how to contain his emotions, refusing to let his nerves get the best of him in high-profile situations:

"I understand the pressure and the audience, how big it is. But again, I’ve been doing this for a long time. I have methods to avoid nerves, I’m ready for this."

Watch their joint-interview below: