Kade Ruotolo: ‘I Want to be Known as One of The Greatest Martial Artists of All-Time’ (2024)

Welcome to The Weekly Takedown, Sports Illustrated’s in-depth look at MMA. Every week, this column offers insight and information on the most noteworthy stories in the fight world.

Kade Ruotolo makes MMA debut at ONE 167

Kade Ruotolo is entering uncharted territory.

The 21-year-old grappling sensation is an elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. Ruotolo has already won the ADCC World Title, and he is the inaugural ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion. Since joining ONE Championship in 2022, he walked away victorious in all six of his fights.

Despite his age, Ruotolo is experienced and tested in jiu-jitsu. But that is not the case in MMA. And he makes his MMA debut tomorrow at ONE 167 on Prime Video.

“I don’t want to be known as just a jiu-jitsu guy,” said Ruotolo. “I want to be known as one of the greatest combat martial artists of all-time. That’s what drives me. I love martial arts, and my goal is to be a true martial artist.”

Ruotolo matches up against Blake Cooper at ONE 167 in a lightweight bout. Cooper, 27, has a background in wrestling, and he won his first two fights in MMA.

The element of the unknown makes this fight especially compelling. While Ruotolo will look to apply forward pressure and deliver a high pace of action, it is unknown how that will translate if Cooper takes control of the fight. Ruotolo should be in constant transition when he is grappling, which will make him a very difficult opponent, but the key questions are whether he can close the distance and dominate the clinch.

“It’s terrifying, it’s exciting, it won’t be easy,” said Ruotolo. “That’s why I love surfing and spearfishing. I love the adrenaline rush. That’s what I live for. There’s no better feeling.”

Regardless of the result, Ruotolo’s next fight is set. He will defend the Lightweight Submission Grappling championship against Mikey Musumeci in Denver this September at ONE 170. But if Ruotolo defeats Cooper in emphatic fashion, he was asked whether he would eventually transition full-time to MMA.

“That’s a very good question,” said Ruotolo. “I almost enjoy training MMA more than jiu-jitsu at this point in my life because I’m learning something new every single day. That’s so refreshing. It’s also hard to imagine ever fully giving up jiu jitsu. We’ll slowly thread that out.”

Preparing for an MMA bout, particularly one against a skilled wrestler, has led to Ruotolo training in a different type of training camp. While he still works in some jiu-jitsu, that has not been the point of emphasis in his training sessions.

“Probably not enough jiu jitsu, honestly,” said Ruotolo. “I’ve been so focused on my striking and sparring. I had to tone down the jiu-jitsu training, but I’ve found a good balance.

“It’s amazing how every sport has its own cardio. I’ve taken world champions in jiu-jitsu surfing, and within 15 minutes, they’re basically drowning. It’s different cardio and different muscles, so I’ve spent a lot of time on conditioning while I’m eating knees and elbows.”

If Ruotolo beats Cooper, he would relish a chance to fight reigning lightweight champion Christian Lee in a title bout.

“I’d do it in a couple weeks,” said Ruotolo, flashing his trademark smile. “My coaches want me to take more time, and I understand that. I’m super excited to get there. If it were up to me, I’d fight for the belt tomorrow.”

Possessing a boyish exuberance, Ruotolo is ready to make an impression in MMA. Defeating Cooper marks an important first step, and Ruotolo is ready to embrace the unknown.

“What makes me most excited for this fight is that I can knock him out,” said Ruotolo. “And what makes me the most nervous is the same thing–it’s that he can knock me out. I’m excited to see what happens at 167.”

Nick Diaz returning to the Octagon

Last week, UFC CEO Dana White took to social media to announce a fantastic card this August in Abu Dhabi.

The card lacks a title fight, but this card features a better combination of bouts than some pay-per-views. It airs nationally on ABC, making August 3 appointment-viewing for fight fans.

Zuffa LLC

Chiesa has dropped three in a row, so someone should come out of that bout with a victory. But as surprising as it is to see Ferguson still competing in the Octagon, another fight that was a surprise is Nick Diaz against Vicente Luque.

There have been rumors about Diaz returning, but it was hard to tell how serious they were. This will be his first fight since Robbie Lawler TKO’d him in September of 2021. Perhaps this card is a test for gamblers–can they resist the urge to parlay Chiesa and Luque? That is clearly the obvious bet.

It is lining up to be a compelling summer for the UFC, particularly during this trip to Abu Dhabi.