ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo will make his mixed martial arts debut against Adrian "The Phenom" Lee at ONE Fight Night 35 on Friday, September 5, at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Ruotolo (8-0 Submission Grappling, 0-0 MMA) has been dominant since joining ONE Championship in 2022, winning all eight of his submission grappling contests. The 22-year-old has defeated notable opponents including Garry "The Lion Killer" Tonon, former two-division ONE World Champion Reinier de Ridder, and other elite grapplers.
The California-based fighter captured the inaugural ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title and has successfully defended it twice. He has competed across multiple weight classes during his tenure with the promotion.
Ruotolo follows the path of his twin brother Kade, who also transitioned from submission grappling to mixed martial arts competition. The transition represents a significant step up in competition for the grappling specialist.
Lee (3-0 MMA, 3-0 ONE) enters the bout as an undefeated prospect who has finished all three of his ONE Championship opponents via submission. The 19-year-old Singaporean-American has earned three consecutive $50,000 performance bonuses for his victories.
Lee's most recent victory came against Takeharu Ogawa, whom he submitted with an anaconda choke in just 63 seconds. He has also scored submission victories over Antonio Mammarella and Nico "The Steel City Kid" Cornejo, both via rear-naked choke.
The teenager has expressed confidence about the matchup, stating he doesn't consider himself "a good matchup" for Ruotolo ahead of their encounter.
The fight represents a significant test for both athletes. Ruotolo will be making his first foray into mixed martial arts after establishing himself as one of the world's top submission grapplers. Lee faces his highest-level competition to date against a world champion, albeit one making his MMA debut.
