The American grappling sensation steps into action for the third time this year against Matheus Gabriel at ONE Fight Night 5: De Ridder vs. Malykhin at the Mall of Asia Arena, Manila, Philippines.

Ruotolo has displayed his impressive skill set twice before in the ONE Circle, and before he returns to defend his throne, we break down the essential elements he’ll be looking to implement in order to retain the ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Title.

#1 Prepare to finish the fight early

The Atos fighter’s last match against Uali Kurzhev at ONE Fight Night 3: Lineker vs. Andrade in October lasted less than five minutes, as he quickly locked in an inside heel hook on the sambo world champion.

Ruotolo will want to find similar success against Gabriel, who has a proven track record of fighting for points.

If the world champion can put his foe in a compromising position early on, he could easily set himself up for a victory before the bell.

#2 Utilize his defense skills

Ruotolo has an affinity to strike early and shoot for a finishing submission, but he has also shown he can defend against and avoid even the craftiest fighter’s attacks.

His ONE debut against Shinya Aoki in May saw the American star glide in and out of “Tobikan Judan’s” submission attempts, and this helped him dominate the Japanese legend for most of their battle.

Ruotolo has what it takes to maneuver out of even the most challenging positions, and this should give him confidence ahead of his first World Title defense.

Read also: Three things you should know about Roberto Soldic#3 Make use of his experience

Ruotolo has been a black belt for less than a year, compared with Gabriel’s nearly five years at the prestigious rank.

However, the California native has amassed a wealth of experience across his career. His 23-2 BJJ record includes a 17-fight win streak, becoming the youngest-ever ADCC World Champion, and being crowned the inaugural ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion.

His opponent may have double the fights he has, but Ruotolo will be able to dig deep into his past accomplishments if he is faced with some sticky situations.

Up next, don’t miss ONE Fight Night 5: De Ridder vs. Malykhin on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena, Manila. Tickets can be purchased at https://smtickets.com/events/view/11438.

This article was published in collaboration with ONE Championship.

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