is continuing to craft his legacy as one of the greatest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling competitors in history.
On May 2 in U.S. primetime, the American superstar will defend his ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title against hard-charging Canadian standout at .
After seven appearances and seven dominant victories in the world바카라s largest martial arts organization, Ruotolo has looked nothing short of sensational 바카라 and most experts place him among the sport바카라s very best pound-for-pound grapplers.
Before he defends the gold against Leon at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, we dive into why the 22-year-old BJJ black belt has been unstoppable in ONE Championship.
#1 Superhuman Pacing
Any discussion of Ruotolo바카라s world-class grappling should start with his high-octane, ultra-aggressive style.
Like a snowball rolling down a hill, the titleholder loves to apply constant pressure and pace on his opponents, gaining momentum and turning the aggression up to a fever pitch as the match wears on.
Typically, this relentless approach leads to a submission finish. But even when his fights go to the judges바카라 scorecards, Ruotolo always leaves his opponents exhausted and gasping for air.
#2 Elite Takedown Skills
Every match starts on the feet, and although he doesn바카라t have a background in traditional wrestling, Ruotolo has proven to be an elite takedown artist. Importantly, he바카라s used this skill set to dictate most of his bouts from the opening bell.
Whether it was his unforgettable promotional debut against or his most recent victory over fellow young phenom , the Californian has employed heavy collar ties and a dynamic, explosive takedown game to set the tone and stay a step ahead.
#3 Submission Variety
While the Atos representative is best known for his trademark D바카라Arce choke 바카라 which he used to submit Tonon in fewer than two minutes 바카라 he바카라s showcased a remarkably wide variety of submission skills in ONE.
In addition to his D바카라Arce, Ruotolo has scored an armbar, a rear-naked choke, and even a unique 바카라Ruotolotine바카라 (an arm-in choke from the back), all against elite opposition, over the course of his ONE tenure.
#4 Absurd Scrambling
Ruotolo seems to thrive in the most chaotic moments, and his preternatural scrambling abilities make him an incredibly difficult puzzle to solve for the planet바카라s most talented ground fighters.
For example, in his successful ONE World Title defense against Australia바카라s , he capitalized on the smallest of openings to reverse the challenger and take the mount position in the blink of an eye.
Thanks to a lifetime of training and top-tier grappling experience, Ruotolo has millions of hard-wired reactions that help him come out on top in even the most chaotic scrambles.
#5 He Seeks Difficult Challenges Outside Of ONE
Notably, Ruotolo hasn바카라t been afraid to test himself against dangerous opponents outside of ONE and under a wide variety of rule sets. This experience has undoubtedly helped him remain dominant under ONE바카라s bright lights.
After his successful ONE debut in May 2022, he put on the gi and became the youngest-ever IBJJF Black Belt World Champion. Later that year, he earned bronze in the absolute division at the ADCC World Championships.
Then, after winning and defending the ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title, Ruotolo put forth a strong showing at the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational, proving that he바카라s never one to back down from a challenge.
