5 Facts About Ahmed Mujtaba Before He Faces Kade Ruotolo In MMA Fight At ONE 169
At ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug, Pakistani brawler Ahmed “Wolverine” Mujtaba will look to derail the hype train of ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo when they collide in a much-anticipated lightweight MMA tilt.
Set to air live in U.S. primetime on November 8 from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, that matchup will be Mujtaba’s chance to hand the BJJ superstar his first MMA loss and announce himself as a dangerous contender.
Before Mujtaba throws down with Ruotolo, here are five things fans should know about the all-action scrapper.
#1 He’s A ONE Championship Veteran
A veteran of 14 career MMA fights, Mujtaba is one of the organization’s longest-tenured and most respected athletes.
After cementing himself as his nation’s top mixed martial artist, “Wolverine” made his celebrated ONE Championship debut back in 2016 with a hard-fought decision victory over Singapore’s Benedict Ang.
Since then, he’s racked up three more wins on the global stage while consistently facing the division’s upper echelon.
His experience across an eight-year career in ONE will surely pay dividends against a relative MMA newcomer in Ruotolo.
#2 He Trains At The Famed AKA Gym In California
Mujtaba is always seeking improvement, and he’s often left his family and friends in Pakistan to spend training camps at the world-renowned American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California.
The 31-year-old sold his car to help fund his first trip to AKA, where he shares the mats with MMA luminaries like Cain Velasquez and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
He’s used his time at the elite camp to fine-tune all aspects of his well-rounded game, including wrestling, striking, and clinch work.
#3 He Owns A Rare ‘Cryangle’ Submission Win
In 2022 at ONE 163, Mujtaba hit one of the rarest submissions in all of MMA – and he did it against a decorated BJJ black belt.
That night, “Wolverine” submitted Brazilian grappling specialist Abraao Amorim with an arm-in triangle choke – known as a “cryangle” (a blend of a triangle choke and a cradle).
That submission will live on highlight reels for years to come, but more importantly, it’s a testament to Mujtaba’s world-class ground skills and his ability to employ them against the planet’s best grapplers.
#4 He’s A Versatile Finisher
While his submission against Amorim might be the highlight of his career so far, Mujtaba is much more than just a grappler.
Quite the opposite – he’s one of the lightweight MMA division’s top all-around fighters.
A proven finisher, “Wolverine” boasts a mixture of stoppages by way of knockout, ground-and-pound, and submission, making him a serious threat no matter where the fight plays out.
#5 He Trains Through Ramadan
The Pakistani athlete is a devout Muslim who will always put his faith first. That’s why he’s willing and able to train through the month of Ramadan when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.
Obviously, training at an elite level while fasting comes with a unique set of challenges and difficulties, but Mujtaba possesses the focus and unending faith needed to push through.
And even though his training camp for Ruotolo isn’t during Ramadan, the mental toughness he’s developed in the past continues to make him a better, more disciplined fighter.
