Current ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion, Tye Ruotolo, extended his undefeated streak in ONE Championship by defeating promotional newcomer Jozef Chen in a 186-pound catchweight submission grappling match at ONE Fight Night 23 last week. Ruotolo dominated the bout, earning a unanimous decision victory in their scheduled 10-minute bout.

However, Tye Ruotolo isn’t looking to rest on his laurels after his recent victory. In his post-fight conference, he dropped a hint about his desired opponent for the next matchup.

Tye Ruotolo eyes next opponent after ONE Fight Night 23 victory

Throughout the match, Ruotolo relentlessly pressured Chen with a barrage of attacks. In the first two minutes, both fighters aggressively sought to overpower each other. The 21-year-old American focused on controlling Chen’s moments, though the South African repeatedly managed to escape. However, despite his resilience, Chen couldn’t evade Ruotolo’s relentless aggression and attacks, ultimately leading to the latter’s victory.

When a reporter inquired about what he eyed as his next challenge during the post-fight interview, Tye Ruotolo expressed his desire for a rematch with his old rival, Nicholas Meregali.

“We’ve been trying to get [Nicholas] Meregali for a long time,” Ruotolo said. “I guess he’s very difficult to work with, I don’t know, but I just think he doesn’t really want to fight, to be honest with you. The last time we fought, I had multiple torn ligaments in my knee. He used to be fifty pounds heavier and I still Alpha-checked him…back at the end of the fight, you know. So that’s one that I really want to get back. I’ve got Meregali.”

Ruotolo, however, emphasized if a fight with Nicholas Meregali wasn’t possible, he was ready to face whoever ONE Championship would offer him. The Brazilian grappler is a 3x IBJJF black belt world champion and a 2x ADCC world medalist, but he is currently not signed to ONE. There’s some unfinished business between them, as Meregali defeated Tye Ruotolo by decision at the 2022 ADCC World Championship.

Nicholas Meregali edged out Tye Ruotolo in a close match at the 2022 ADCC

In 2022, at the ADCC World Championship semifinals, Tye Ruotolo faced Nicholas Meregali, a much heavier opponent outweighing him by over 40 pounds. The bout unfolded over a grueling first 10 minutes, during which, Meregali took control early with a powerful uchi mata takedown.

Throughout the match, Ruotolo displayed remarkable fighting spirit despite Meregali’s size advantage. He attempted to gain ground with a D’Arce choke, but Meregali defended against it effectively. Despite their efforts, neither fighter managed to score points in the initial half under the ADCC point system.

As the match progressed into the second half, both athletes intensified their focus on takedown attempts. Ruotolo continued to showcase resilience, pushing through into an extended five-minute overtime period. However, despite his valiant effort, the judge ultimately awarded the decision victory to Nicholas Meregali.

Now, the future of a Tye Ruotolo vs. Nicholas Meregali rematch rests on Meregali’s acceptance. Would you like to see these two talented submission grapplers clash? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!