Kade Ruotolo looks to sustain momentum at ONE 168 following million-dollar win
Before Kade Ruotolo defends his World Title at ONE 168: Denver on September 6, he embarked on a side quest that earned him a hefty payday.
Along with twin brother Tye, Kade participated in the under-80-kilogram tournament of the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational. This went down on August 16 and 17 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The American phenom came out on top of the competition, bringing home a $1 million grand prize.
However, the path to victory was anything but easy for the reigning ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion.
Kade’s campaign began with an impressive submission win over Jason Nolf. There, he utilized a kneebar to secure his spot in the next phase.
His next challenge came in the form of Tommy Langaker. There, he outpointed his Norwegian rival to book a seat in the semifinals.
The second day proved even more grueling. Kade faced Andrew Tackett in a back-and-forth battle that pushed him to the brink.
Despite the intense exchange, the 21-year-old managed to secure a split decision on two of the three scorecards, advancing to the finals.
The final showdown saw the Atos Jiu-Jitsu member square off against Levi Jones-Leary. The latter earlier eliminated Tye in the quarterfinals.
With a chance to avenge his sibling, Kade found himself in a tough encounter.
A well-executed triangle choke attempt by Kade in the first round was the highlight of the match, but the following rounds were tense and tactical.
In the fifth frame, Kade briefly pulled guard, only to revert to his earlier strategy, working from the top position to ultimately earn the decision win.
Kade Ruotolo comes to ONE 168 with a point to prove
With this victory in the bag, Kade Ruotolo now turns his attention to his next high-stakes assignment.
He puts his 26 pounds of gold on the line against flyweight king Mikey Musumeci at ONE 168: Denver, happening live at Ball Arena.
Musumeci is one of the most accomplished American-born BJJ practitioners today, and a win over him would further cement Ruotolo’s legacy as a pound-for-pound great in the sport.
