On June 9, ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo is scheduled to make the second defense of his world title at ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov, which will be broadcast live on Prime Video.
The grappling prodigy, who is only 20 years old, will square dance with the outstanding Norwegian BJJ practitioner Tommy Langaker. This forthcoming submission grappling fight has all the elements necessary to become an instant classic. It goes without saying.
Ahead of Kade Ruotolo’s attempt to defend his world title, ONE Championship reminded everyone of his triumph over Sambo and Judo specialist Uali Kurzhev, which earned him the title of world champion. On the night of ONE on Prime Video 3, the promotion just posted a short footage of the young world champion dissecting his heel hook finish:
“Kade Ruotolo is putting the pressure on Tommy Langaker. Will the ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion be able to successfully defend the throne on June 9 at ONE Fight Night 11 on Prime Video?”
It was a breathless demonstration of just why Kade Ruotolo is several notches above everyone else on the jiu-jitsu skill ladder. Kade Ruotolo’s performance was a heart-stopping exhibition. The tide turned drastically when Kurzhev was unable to successfully perform a judo throw, which led to Ruotolo bringing him to his back. This occurred after the two had aggressively sought to force their will on one other.
From that point on, the two engaged in a fierce battle to submit the other, with Ruotolo primarily focusing on achieving the finish. After getting back on their feet, the beginning of the end occurred when Kurzhev made the strategic error of attempting a leglock against a leglock magician like Ruotolo. This was the beginning of the end for them. The American BJJ blackbelt managed to obtain a heel hook of his own, which ultimately led to the submission of the Russian opponent.
After such an incredible victory, ONE Championship awarded Kade Ruotolo not only a brand new global title but also a great performance bonus in the amount of $50,000. At ONE Fight Night 11, he will compete against Tommy Langaker, and it will be interesting to see if he can deliver the same kind of vicious performance.
On June 9, ONE Fight Night 11 will be held in the illustrious Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, and it will be streamed live online. All Prime Video subscribers in North America will have access to the live broadcast of the event at no additional cost.
