2022 ADCC champion Kade Ruotolo faced 4x world Sambo champion Uali Kurzhev for the inaugural ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling world title.
The 19-year old Ruotolo had tremendous respect for his opponent but he made easy work out of him, easily submitting him with a leg lock:
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The finish:
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Here’s what he was saying about his opponent to ONE Championship:
I’m hearing that he is one of the greats. He’s a Sambo world champion. So I know he’s a stud, and I know he’s going to be tough.
Sambo guys, in general, they have a very strong wrestling background, usually. And they have very strong upper-body wrestling. They have good picks, inside trips, things like that.
I love to try and take down, stay on top, and get the submission, so I think there will definitely be a clash of styles on the feet.
With that, Kade also felt some pressure to “prove” that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was effective against Sambo:
That’s exactly what my brother (Tye Ruotolo) told me. He goes: “Hey, you’re representing Jiu-Jitsu in this one, so you better hold it down.
Not to add any more pressure, but it’s a guarantee, I think I will feel a little pressure on my shoulders to hold it up for Jiu-Jitsu.
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Shut down leg locks and turn their attack into your counters and passes with the Ruotolo brothers’ guide to staying safe.
- Kade and Tye Ruotolo are twin brothers training at Atos and two of the highest-profile and most successful young grapplers in the world.
- Escape from dangerous no-gi positions like 50/50, outside ashi, cross ashi/honey hole, and more.
- Turn heel hook attempts into your own counters as the Ruotolo brothers show you how they navigate these tricky positions.
