Kade Ruotolo added yet another feather to his cap this past weekend and becoming one of two millionaires at the Craig Jones Invitationals.

The ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion defeated a fellow young standout in the sport, Levi Jones-Leary, in the final of the under-80kg bracket of the two-day tournament to bag a US$1 million dollar prize.

More about Ruotolo

Ruotolo opened up his run in the tournament with a submission victory over ADCC gold medalist Matheus Diniz and followed it up with his third decision win over fellow ONE athlete Tommy Langaker to book his ticket to the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Jones-Leary also had a submission win in his opening match, forcing 2023 IBJJF Absolute NOGI World Champion Roberto Jimenez to tap to a heel hook. The Aussie grappler then got his spot in the semifinals with a hard-earned victory over Tye Ruotolo, who was coming off a brilliant win over Jason Nolf in the previous round.

In the second day of the tournament, Ruotolo outpointed Andrew Tackett in one of the most entertaining matches of the two-day event. For his part, Jones-Leary had a more dominant perforamance against Lucas Barbosa, setting the stage for an epic final battle.

The final round saw the best of both competitors, as Ruotolo aggressively attacked while Jones-Leary displayed his world-class guard. The grappling masterclass went the full distance and once the smoke from the battle was gone, it was Ruotolo who was declared the winner.

What will this win bring?

Ruotolo’s win will certainly be a huge boost of confidence as he heads into another insane pairing in his next bout. The 21-year-old is set to defend his belt against ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion Mikey Musumeci at ONE 168: Denver on U.S. primetime on Friday, September 6 inside Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

“Darth Rigatoni” is considered one of the greatest competitors of his generation and is currently undefeated in his seven-bout run in ONE Championship. He is now aiming to make history by becoming a two-division World Champion in the promotion’s submission grappling division by moving up three weight classes up to challenge Ruotolo.

For his part, the Atos Gym representative is also undefeated in his tenure in the world’s largest martial arts organization and has been equally impressive outside it over the past couple of years. He became the youngest ADCC World Champion in 2022 and now adds the first under-80kg Craig Jones Invitational champion to his incredible resume.

One fighter will get his first L at ONE 168, but fans can expect a match for the ages between two generational talents. Who will you be rooting for?