ONE Championship: Kade Ruotolo trains striking with Superbon, working with UFC’s Cub Swanson for MMA switch
- Kade and his twin brother Tye visit Superbon’s gym in Bangkok after ONE Fight Night 11 to ‘soak up as much Muay Thai as we can’
- ONE lightweight submission grappling champion also training MMA at Entram Gym in Tijuana, and with UFC star Swanson back home in California
Kade Ruotolo really is taking his transition to mixed martial arts seriously.
ONE Championship’s lightweight submission grappling champ retained his title with a unanimous decision over Norwegian rival Tommy Langaker last Saturday in Bangkok.
But the 20-year-old American’s thoughts quickly turned to the next chapter – namely his MMA debut in the martial arts promotion.
“I haven’t signed anything so I can’t give an exact date but 100 per cent by the end of the year. I’m not going to let this year end without my debut,” Ruotolo told the Post backstage at Lumpinee Stadium after his win.
“Maybe September, something like that, we’ll see what cards ONE has. I’m super antsy. I want it to be next month. But my family, friends, and coaches, they’re all telling me do it smart, wait and make sure there’s no field lacking so I’m polished up and everything and just when I do step on those mats I go straight to the belt.”
“My whole life I’ve been in love with MMA,” he added. “Always watched it growing up, trained it here and there especially recently. The past year I’ve been really wanting to make that MMA debut, but there’s always a jiu jitsu priority, something that we have to train for and kind of focus for.
