After Tye Ruotolo’s Victory ONE Championship Is All Set to Fix a Submission Grappling Showdown Between Him and Nicholas Meregali

American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu phenom Tye Ruotolo is on a mission to prove he is the best in the world regardless of weight class, and ONE Championship is allowing him the stage to do it. The 20-year-old star claimed his third straight win in the promotion’s submission grappling ranks when he outclassed ONE Middleweight World Champion Reinier de Ridder at ONE Fight Night 10 earlier this month.

Ruotolo was clearly at a size disadvantage during their matchup, but his technique helped him overcome “The Dutch Knight” at ONE’s first-ever event on U.S. soil.

Tye Ruotolo was the reason behind ONE Championship’s negotiations with Nicholas Meregali

Following his win, he announced that he’s going after Nicholas Meregali next. The Brazilian star is a multiple-time BJJ World Champion and is considered one of the best gi grapplers in the world. In 2022, he took a tightly contested decision win against Ruotolo in the semifinal round of the ADCC Absolute division, ending the 20-year-old’s inspirational run in the openweight division of the event.

With Meregali recently declaring that he will no longer compete in IBJJF tournaments, it appears that he is setting his sights on competing more in no-gi contests–a realm that Tye Ruotolo has been conquering, along with his twin brother, Kade. 

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After the historic ONE Fight Night 10 show came to a close, ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong revealed in a post-event interview that a match between Meregali and Ruotolo has been in the works, and we may see it come to fruition inside the Circle.

Was Tye Ruotolo hunting down Gordon Ryan’s teammates to finally challenge him?

“Meregali has accepted already. So, it’s been something we’ve been planning,” he said. “Obviously, he’s red-hot, one of the best grapplers in the world, but Tye’s ambition is to be the future GOAT, and I think he has all the right tools, all the right athletic and natural abilities, and excitement factor.”

The Atos representative hasn’t been shy about his intention to face grappling legend Gordon Ryan in a match soon, either. The pair exchanged some spicy words on social media last year, and Ruotolo has since made a hit list in his quest to challenge “The King.”

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Starting with De Ridder, who spent some time training with Ryan at New Wave Jiu-Jitsu, the California native is now looking to take out another teammate of Ryan’s in Meregali. It will certainly be a journey worth watching out for in the ever-evolving submission grappling ranks of ONE.