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One of the brightest stars in the grappling world, Kade Ruotolo, is set to make his second appearance in mixed martial arts at ONE 169. Known for his elite submission skills, Ruotolo (1-0) will take on Ahmed Mujtaba (10-4) in a highly anticipated lightweight matchup on November 8 at Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium, as confirmed by ONE Championship.
Ruotolo, a 21-year-old Hawaiian phenom, has already made waves in the grappling scene. A ONE Championship submission grappling champion, he recently won the prestigious Craig Jones Invitational, pocketing $1 million in prize money. Transitioning to MMA seems to be a natural progression for the jiu-jitsu prodigy, who, along with his twin brother Tye, signed a multi-faceted deal with ONE that allows him to compete in both grappling and MMA.
In June, Kade Ruotolo made his MMA debut at ONE 167, showcasing his grappling dominance by submitting Blake Cooper via rear-naked choke in the first round. His flawless performance earned him a $50,000 bonus and solidified his reputation as a rising MMA star.
On the opposite side of the cage will be Pakistan's Ahmed Mujtaba, a seasoned fighter who’s been part of the ONE Championship roster since 2016. Mujtaba boasts a record of 10-4, with four of those victories coming under the ONE banner. Three of his wins have come via stoppages, proving that he can be a dangerous opponent. However, Mujtaba has struggled against submission artists in the past, with three of his four losses coming by way of submission—a potential weakness Ruotolo will likely look to exploit.
Adding to the excitement, ONE 169 will be headlined by heavyweight champion Anatoly Malykhin defending his title against the powerful "Reug Reug" Oumar Kane. The co-main event will feature two-division champion Christian Lee defending his lightweight belt against the undefeated Russian challenger Alibeg Rasulov.
With Ruotolo’s grappling credentials and Mujtaba’s experience, this fight promises to be an intriguing clash of styles. Will Ruotolo continue his rise in MMA, or will Mujtaba find a way to defy the odds and upset the submission specialist?
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