‘A Sick Head-Kick KO’ – Tye Ruotolo Hunting Stunning Finish Against Undefeated Shozo Isojima At ONE 173
Reigning ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo is a master on the canvas, but he returns at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri hunting for something different: a highlight-reel knockout.
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt steps into the Circle for his second lightweight MMA contest against undefeated judoka Shozo Isojima at the blockbuster spectacle, which broadcasts live via global pay-per-view from Tokyo’s Ariake Arena this Sunday, November 16.
The 22-year-old California prodigy carries momentum and confidence into hostile territory, and rightfully so.
This past September, he overwhelmed Adrian “The Phenom” Lee in his debut in the all-encompassing sport and tapped out the unbeaten Singaporean-American teenage sensation via rear-naked choke in the second round of their lightweight MMA clash.
That spectacular performance went exactly how Ruotolo envisioned it would. But instead of celebrating, the submission grappling king reveals he was immediately locked in on his next challenge:
“It was freaky. It went according to plan, and it was a blessing, for sure. Every time you step into the ring, anything can happen. So, it felt really good to get it done. It also got me all fired up for the next one.
“[Shozo Isojima] is another formidable opponent. He’s undefeated, too. I’m excited for it. I haven’t fought in the Circle yet [in MMA], so I’m excited for it.”
Like Ruotolo, Isojima’s area of expertise is his ground game. The 28-year-old Kuwana City native has heavily relied on his judo base to carry him to a pristine 6-0 MMA record.
However, Ruotolo is eager to experience firsthand whether the Japanese warrior has what it takes to match up against his world-class jiu-jitsu arsenal.
The Tenore representative told onefc.com:
“I haven’t seen too much of [Isojima’s grappling], but I’m sure it’s going to be solid. But, in that department, it’s not a worry for me so much. It’s nothing to be concerned about in the grappling department.”
That confidence isn’t arrogance – it’s the product of a lifetime spent submitting the best grapplers on planet Earth.
Tye and his twin brother, ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo, have tapped out a long list of decorated mat wizards. Their technique works against anyone, regardless of their background.
While he’ll be happy to display his trademark submission-hunting approach, the American is craving for something far more extraordinary in his sophomore MMA outing:
“Maybe we can do a sick head-kick KO. That would be awesome. If I had to call it, I really think something like that could come. If not, who knows where the match might take us.”
Ruotolo Lists Isojima’s Biggest Flaws
Shozo Isojima enters this clash riding the momentum of an impressive second-round TKO of Nicolas “El Paisa” Vigna in his promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 36 this past October.
The Japanese athlete showcased the kind of strength and grappling credentials that make him a threat to anyone in the lightweight division, but Tye Ruotolo has studied the footage and identified key areas to exploit.
Ruotolo said:
“He looked good. He looked like he had some strength to him. He’s got some isometric strength. It seems like he’s comfortable when he’s holding guys up.
“But when he’s in a firefight, it seems like he kind of shies away from it a little bit. So, if I had to pick some of his weaknesses, that’s where it would be.”
While the American respects the N-Trust product’s all-around game, he’s clearly identified his comfort zone – and more importantly, where that comfort zone ends.
Ruotolo has put significant work into his stand-up arsenal specifically to capitalize on moments like these, and he is confident that his combination of elite grappling, improved striking, and World Championship mentality will be too much for Isojima to handle.
While the submission grappling king is interested in “a sick head-kick KO,” any method of victory will suffice. He simply said:
“I just want to be able to get it done as quickly as possible and come out healthy again.”
