Tye Ruotolo promises to get better after tough battle at ONE Fight Night 23

Tye Ruotolo may have emerged victorious at ONE Fight Night 23 on Prime Video last Friday, July 5, but he is admittedly far from satisfied with his performance.

The reigning ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion took a hard-earned unanimous victory in his last fight. This came over Jozef Chen in a 186-pound catchweight contest on the recently concluded U.S. primetime card.

The match featured two of the most exciting grapplers in the sport today. But their contrasting styles ultimately neutralized each other throughout the 10-minute duel.

Despite the win and maintaining his undefeated streak in ONE Championship, Ruotolo expressed his frustration over what transpired.

“For sure, I could have performed a lot better. It’s not a performance that I’m very proud of. I didn’t have the best camp and I didn’t feel the best way going through the fight,” he said.

Known for his dynamic and finishing capabilities, the young American phenom apologized to fans who came to watch live at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, for not delivering the decisive conclusion they had come to expect from him.

“That’s not a performance that I like to have, especially in a place like Lumpinee. I have so much respect for the people in the audience and the stadium, so I always do my best to give a good show,” he said. 

Tye Ruotolo promises to make up for it in next outing

Amid his frustration, Tye Ruotolo remains undeterred.

Looking forward to his next opportunity on the global stage, he vowed to make amends and promised to deliver a more captivating performance in his next assignment.

“I will be better,” he said. “I’m going to go home and get in front of everything that would prevent me from having a great performance in my next one. I’ll perform how I’m supposed to.”