WATCH: Lightweight submission grappling champ Kade Ruotolo unleashes his attitude in nasty slam of Matheus Gabriel

In combat sports, there's an old saying: "You can’t call yourself a champion until you’ve successfully defended your title." Kade Ruotolo took that to heart when he stepped inside the circle at ONE Fight Night 5 in December 2022.

In front of a roaring audience at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, Ruotolo put his ONE lightweight submission grappling world championship on the line against Matheus Gabriel.

For the full 10 minutes, Ruotolo dominated the match, outworking his Brazilian challenger until time expired to keep the coveted gold-plated belt in his possession.

Ruotolo’s relentless movement caused constant problems for Gabriel, who frequently pulled guard in an attempt to slow down the defending champion. But the American's explosive entries set the stage for a series of submission attempts, including a knee bar that nearly ended the matchup.

One moment, in particular, drew an electric reaction from the crowd when Ruotolo executed a powerful slam. The slow-motion footage of that jaw-dropping move was recently shared by ONE Championship on Instagram:

In the end, all three judges scored the bout in favor of Ruotolo, granting him the win by unanimous decision.

Following his win over Gabriel, Ruotolo successfully defended his throne two more times before shifting his focus entirely to mixed martial arts.

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Kade Ruotolo hopes to go 3-0 in MMA at ONE 171

Kade Ruotolo is set to strap on a pair of four-ounce MMA gloves at ONE 171, taking place at the magnificent Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar on Feb. 20.

On that card, he will lock horns with promotional newcomer Nicolas Vigna in a three-round lightweight bout.

Already 2-0 in the all-encompassing sport, the American phenom is looking to extend his undefeated streak with a third consecutive victory in Qatar.