ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo has never backed away from a challenge. And despite the physical acumen of his opponent this weekend, Ruotolo refuses to give it any airtime.
The American megastar will defend his ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title against Izaak Michell in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 21: Eersel vs. Nicolas on Prime Video this Friday, April 5, live inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
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The saying has always existed around the grappling world that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a small man’s game. Friday night won’t be the first time Ruotolo has gone up against a bigger adversary. And in his mind, the bigger the opponent, the larger the accomplishment.
“Any time I fight big guys, the last thing I’m worried about is the physicality. I’m just looking for my windows and creating my windows,” Ruotolo said.
Ruotolo further added, “You saw in my Pedro Marinho match [at ADCC 2022], at one point, it kinda got a little bit heated, and I just remember running toward him and grabbing him as hard as I could.”
Since arriving in the ONE Championship, Ruotolo has defeated an assortment of world-class talent in Garry Tonon, Reinier de Ridder, and Magomed Abdulkadirov. So he certainly won’t be intimidated by Michell’s presence.
Tye Ruotolo anticipates a frantic clash with Izaak Michell
If there’s one thing ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo delivers when he steps in the ring, it’s fast-paced action.
The 21-year-old phenom hasn’t put his foot on the brakes throughout his competitive career, and he certainly isn’t about to take a step backward against Izaak Michell.
“Anyone who makes me emotional or wants to fight hard, get in my face, I definitely like it, and I can pull it out. It’s deep inside me. I can’t just pull it out all the time, but when someone makes me mad, it’s good,” Ruotolo said.
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“I think it’s gonna be a war the first couple of minutes. I think he’s gonna come forward, and I think he’s gonna use his physicality a lot. One hundred percent, he’s gonna make me mad, so I’m really excited.”
The pair collide in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 21: Eersel vs. Nicolas this Friday, April 5. Ruotolo will be planning to complete the first defense of his ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title, while his Australian foe Michell will be looking to shock the world in defeating the American superstar.