ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov on Prime Video is stacked with plenty of exciting matchups across four martial arts disciplines, and with each bout is expected to deliver fireworks. Among them will be a jaw-dropping co-main event that features two of the most elite grapplers alive. ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo will defend his coveted strap against Norwegian Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sensation Tommy Langaker this Friday, June 9, inside the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
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We will broadcast all the action live and for free on Prime Video to all Amazon subscribers across North America. The World Title clash between Ruotolo and Langaker is shaping up to be a barnburner, not only because of their incredible skill sets, but because the history between them, too. Here are three reasons why you shouldn’t miss Kade Ruotolo and Tommy Langaker’s showdown at ONE Fight Night 11 this Friday.
#1 There Is Legitimate Beef Between The Two Stars
Kade Ruotolo has made a point of calling out Tommy Langaker after claiming each of his last two wins. It’s not common for a World Champion to call out a specific challenger, but Ruotolo revealed that he had his reasons for doing so. Both competitors competed in the ADCC World Championships in September 2022 and later crossed paths at the tournament’s afterparty. There, the pair exchanged words and got a bit physical with each other.
Since then, Ruotolo has been looking for the opportunity to back up his bravado by submitting his rival. For his part, Langaker believes the American has not competed against anyone like him, and he’ll be ready to attack from practically any position. While each athlete acknowledges the skills of their rival, their competitive spirit drives them to prove that they are better than the other. With the tension they built between them, expect an explosive payoff when they finally get their hands on each other in the ring.
#2 Kade Ruotolo Is In Phenomenal Form
Kade Ruotolo has been on an unbelievable run lately. The American grappling prodigy joined ONE Championship last year and immediately made an impact by defeating Japanese martial arts legend Shinya Aoki in his promotional debut. The Atos representative also competed in the ADCC World Championships, where he conquered his division to become the youngest-ever World Champion in the prestigious tournament.
And mere months later he claim the inaugural ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Title at the expense of Sambo World Champion Uali Kurzhev. After being named ONE’s 2022 Submission Grappling Fighter Of The Year, he continued his roll this year by defeating two-time IBJJF black belt World Champion Matheus Gabriel in his first World Title defense.
Already equipped with incredible skills on the mats, it will be difficult to imagine anyone having their way against the 20-year-old, but his upcoming rival may have the key to causing an upset.
#3 Tommy Langaker Has Been A Bonus-Winning Machine
Tommy Langaker is arguably the best grappler coming out of Europe, and he quickly proved that upon his arrival in ONE. In his promotional debut, the Norwegian star was tasked with taking on two-time BJJ World Champion Renato Canuto. Through 10 minutes of action, Langaker showcased incredible skill and outclassed his rival to earn a unanimous decision win and a cool US$50,000 performance bonus.
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Earlier this year, he made quick work of former World Title challenger Uali Kurzhev, submitting him at the 2:58 mark of their match via heel hook – the same submission Ruotolo used to defeat the four-time Sambo World Champion.
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The Wulfing Academy’s performance earned him another performance bonus, cementing his place as not only one of the most exciting grapplers on the roster, but also as a legitimate threat to the World Championship.
