WATCH: Tye Ruotolo showcases his next-gen grappling mastery in sublime submission of Marat Gafurov in Manila

Filipino fight fans were given a front-row seat to a high-level grappling when Tye Ruotolo performed at the 20,000-seater Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, nearly three years ago.

There, the American phenom took on former ONE featherweight MMA world champion Marat Gafurov in a 178.6-pound catchweight submission grappling contest on the lead card of ONE on Prime Video 5 in December 2022.

Watch the highlights of that matchup below:

Ruotolo came out aggressively against the seasoned mixed martial arts veteran, immediately hunting for throws. However, Gafurov showcased his experience, using his weight effectively to thwart the attempts — either countering or reversing positions to end up on top.

But to the dismay of the Russian, Ruotolo's breakthrough came in classic, fearless style. After scrambling back to his feet from the bottom, the American had a chance to settle into a dominant position. Instead, he launched himself over Gafurov's head to initiate a submission attack.

Though the Dagestani initially fended off a Kimura lock, Ruotolo's persistence paid off. He seamlessly transitioned to an armbar, flowed into a triangle choke, and ultimately forced the tap by returning to armbar at 5:09 of the 10-minute duel.

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Tye Ruotolo stakes world title against Dante Leon at ONE Fight Night 31

For his next assignment, Tye Ruotolo will be putting his ONE welterweight submission grappling world championship against an equally formidable challenger from Canada.

This happens in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 31, emanating live in U.S. primetime from the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 2. On that card, Ruotolo will lock horns with highly decorated grappler Dante Leon.

The event will air for free in the United States and Canada on Prime Video.