WATCH: Lightweight submission grappling king Kade Ruotolo’s sublime MMA debut against Blake Cooper in Bangkok

When Kade Ruotolo strapped on a pair of four-ounce gloves for the first time in his mixed martial arts debut, he made sure to leave a lasting impression.Seamlessly transitioning into the multi-faceted world of MMA, the reigning ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion put on a clinic, dismantling Blake Cooper at ONE 167 in June 2024.

Check out the highlights of that matchup that transpired before an energetic crowd at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand below:

Ruotolo needed less than a round to dispatch his compatriot in his first assignment under MMA rules. The Atos Jiu-Jitsu standout displayed crisp striking before taking Cooper to the mat, fastening a body triangle, and sinking in a rear-naked choke to force the tap at 3:20 of the opening round.

However, the American phenom wasn’t done making statements. Five months later, he returned for another lightweight MMA clash, this time against Pakistani veteran Ahmed Mujtaba at ONE 169.

Once again, Ruotolo delivered a performance that left no doubt about his potential in MMA.

Though he ultimately sealed the first-round victory via D’Arce choke, it was a thunderous right hand that set the finish in motion, as he dropped Mujtaba early before swiftly locking in the submission and forcing the tap just 64 seconds into the bout.

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Kade Ruotolo targets third-straight MMA win at ONE 171

Now, Kade Ruotolo looks to extend his perfect record to 3-0 in the all-encompassing sport

The 22-year-old prodigy is set to test his mettle against Argentina’s Nicolas Vigna in a three-round lightweight MMA showdown at ONE 171, scheduled for February 20 at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar.

A dominant victory at ONE 171 would only further solidify Ruotolo’s status as one of MMA’s brightest young talents.