Tye Ruotolo fires shots at old foe Nicholas Meregali: “He’s running”

For Tye Ruotolo, one name looms large in his mind as he plots his next move — Nicholas Meregali.

This anticipated matchup has been brewing for quite some time. Now, Ruotolo is determined to bring it to fruition under the ONE Championship banner.

“I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but [I want] Nicholas Meregali [next,], he said. “Really, that’s the only name I want to call out right now. He’s running, taking other matches.”

Both men first collided at the 2022 ADCC World Championship. There, they engaged in a memorable battle in the absolute division.

Despite Ruotolo’s impressive performance, Meregali emerged victorious via decision. Since that moment, he has been eager for a rematch to settle the score and claim his redemption.

The timing seems ripe for this rematch to materialize. Fresh off defending his ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title against Izaak Michell at ONE Fight Night 21 on Prime Video this past Friday, April 5, he feels that facing Meregali makes the most sense.

“I was super stoked to be able to take out Izaak Michell. He’s another name added to my list, and I had a good performance against him. Next is Nicholas Meregali. Meregali keeps running,” the Atos Jiu-Jitsu product said.

Tye Ruotolo promises transition to MMA

Speaking about his future plans, Tye Ruotolo hinted at his impending transition to MMA.

While he hasn’t provided an exact date for his MMA debut, Tye has assured fans that it’s on the horizon.

“My plan is to make my debut by the end of the year or early next year,” he said.

This proclamation comes on the heels of the news that his twin brother, Kade, is set to make his first foray into the all-encompassing sport.

In his maiden assignment, Kade squares off with Blake Copper in a lightweight MMA bout at ONE 167 on Prime Video. It airs in U.S. primetime from the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 7.

The Ruotolo brothers have always shared a competitive spirit, and Tye jokingly mentioned that he won’t let his sibling have all the fun in 4-ounce gloves.

“My brother and I have always had so much pride in our hearts, and seeing my brother training more and then scrapping, he started getting a little bit better than me and I hate it,” Tye said.

“I won’t let him get too far ahead.”