Kade Ruotolo is set for his next step in MMA, as he prepares to face Hiroyuki Tetsuka at ONE: The Inner Circle on May 15.
The matchup is part of a card featuring five high-level matches across multiple disciplines, and it brings together two fighters with very different paths.
Tetsuka enters as the seasoned veteran, while Ruotolo continues his rapid rise as one of the most exciting young prospects in the sport.
At 36 years old, Tetsuka brings over a decade of experience, having started his amateur career in 2012 before turning professional in 2015.
Since then, he has built a 15-6 record with 13 finishes, competing in organizations like Pancrase and ONE Championship.
He’s also coming off the biggest win of his career – a second-round TKO over Shinya Aoki – which has positioned him as a serious contender in the lightweight division…
And a victory over Ruotolo could push him even closer to a title shot.
On the other side, Ruotolo represents a new generation.
Despite having less MMA experience, he has already proven himself against tough competition, compiling a perfect 3-0 record, all by submission.
His grappling pedigree has translated seamlessly into MMA so far, and ONE Championship is now matching him with increasingly dangerous opponents.
This fight marks his toughest test yet.
If Ruotolo can extend his record to 4-0, it will become increasingly difficult to deny him a title opportunity.
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