ONE Championship newcomer Francisco Lo is looking forward to making a statement in his debut next month. At ONE Fight Night 21: Eersel vs. Nicolas on Friday, April 5.
The Brazilian grappler is set to make his promotional bow in a catchweight grappling match with ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. Let’s look at what the newcomer has in his mind against one of the best in the world.
Francisco Lo would be looking forward to face Kade Ruotolo
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While Ruotolo’s prestigious belt will not be on the line, Lo is eager to face such a high-caliber fighter known for his creative attacks. Speaking to ONE, the 23-year-old says he expects fireworks when they clash. Their clash will set the stage for the young Lo who is about to debut in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
“I think we have very similar styles because I also aggressively look for submissions. He is also aggressive, doesn’t like to tie up the fight, and is always looking for the submission,” Lo said.
He further added “He likes to put on a show. I also like to put on a show, so I think it will be a great fight. I’m really looking forward to making this debut.” Ruotolo has won all five of his matches in the world’s largest martial arts organization, including three successful World Title defenses. While he only has one finish to date, it certainly hasn’t been from lack of effort.
Lo would not his guard down against Ruotolo
In his latest outing, he overcame another tough challenge by asserting his dominance against current IBJJF No-Gi World Champion Tommy Langaker at ONE 165. With each performance, the Atos representative has shown why he is one of the most entertaining fighters in ONE Championship’s submission grappling ranks.
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Lo knows the kind of fighter he’ll be facing on April 5, and he believes the American’s aggressive nature makes him stand out from any other opponent he has faced. “What makes [Ruotolo] so dangerous are the attacks he makes. Always looking for the submissions. I think this makes him very dangerous and different from other jiu-jitsu athletes.”
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ONE Fight Night 21 will be headlined by Regian Eersel defending the ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Title against Alexis Nicolas, with the co-main event featuring Ruotolo’s twin brother, Tye, defending his ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title against Izaak Michell. The event will be broadcast live and free on Prime Video for fans across North America with an active Amazon subscription.
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