WATCH: Kade Ruotolo pulls out all the stops against Uali Kurzhev to capture inaugural lightweight submission grappling throne

Before Kade Ruotolo set his sights on his third assignment as a mixed martial artist, fans are reminded that he established himself as a world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner — a reputation that earned him well-deserved recognition nearly three years ago.

The American phenom etched his name in the history books in October 2022, becoming the inaugural ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion with a commanding victory over Uali Kurzhev at ONE Fight Night 4.

Check out the highlights when Kade Ruotolo achieved his most monumental win as a grappler below:

In that career-defining bout, Ruotolo relentlessly pressured Kurzhev before stringing together the finish. With a slick leg entanglement, he locked in a heel hook that forced the tap at the 4:26 mark.

Since then, the Atos Jiu-Jitsu standout has remained untouchable in his discipline, successfully defending his title three times. However, with little left to prove in the grappling realm, he has now shifted his focus to MMA.

Ruotolo’s transition to the all-encompassing sport has been nothing short of dominant. In his June 2024 debut, he overwhelmed Blake Cooper to end matters with a first-round rear-naked choke.

Five months later, he made an even quicker statement, submitting Ahmed Mujtaba with a D’Arce choke in just 64 seconds.

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Kade Ruotolo looks to add another victim to his MMA streak

Now, Kade Ruotolo is set for his next challenge. On Thursday, Feb. 20, at ONE 171: Qatar inside Qatar’s Lusail Sports Arena, he is set to lock horns with Argentina’s Nicolas Vigna in a 175-pound catchweight MMA clash.

Having already demonstrated sharp striking to complement his vaunted grappling, Ruotolo appears destined for MMA stardom. But Vigna, an undefeated prospect with something to prove, will look to spoil his rise when they go head-to-head inside the circle.