‘It’s Going To Be A Gnarly Night’ – Tye Ruotolo Ready To Make History Against Christian Lee At The Inner Circle 37
Confidence has never been in short supply for ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo, and he’s carrying plenty of it into the toughest test of his career.
The American challenges two-division king Christian “The Warrior” Lee for the ONE Lightweight MMA World Title in the main event of The Inner Circle 37, which goes down live at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, November 6.
Members of The Inner Circle can stream this Asia primetime card exclusively via live.onefc.com.
Ruotolo’s track record leaves little room for doubt.
The 23-year-old, who holds a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, is 9-0 in ONE Championship’s submission grappling campaign. Moreover, he claimed the inaugural welterweight crown and defended it three times, most recently against IBJJF No-Gi World Champion Pawel Jaworski.
His MMA run has been just as flawless, with rear-naked choke victories over Adrian “The Phenom” Lee in September 2025 and Shozo Isojima in November 2025, each earning him a US$50,000 performance bonus. Now, he is ready to finish a mission he set in motion long ago.
Ruotolo told onefc.com:
“I called out Christian, and I was confident that I had the ability to beat him, and that was even prior to the Adrian Lee fight. Then I got the opportunity to fight Adrian, and I was able to prove my skills in that match.
“I know my MMA [skills] can get better, and it will be better throughout this process. I’m still young in my career. However, I’ve never asked for a fight I never thought that I could win, and I’m not one to bite off more than I can chew.”
Much of that comes down to where he started.
Ruotolo first stepped onto the mats when he was just three years old, learning the craft alongside his twin brother, ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo, who is also unbeaten in MMA competition.
The Roots of Jiu Jitsu representative reflected:
“My brother and I have been martial artists our whole lives. I think when people see us, kind of early into our MMA careers, they don’t really expect too much from us. But we have high expectations.
“I’ve used every day that passes as an opportunity to get better. I may have only had two MMA fights, but I truly feel if you put me on the other side of the ring with anybody close to my size, the odds of me ending the fight are very high.”
So far, both of his MMA foes have tapped out. But the man waiting across from him at The Inner Circle 37 is a different beast altogether.
Lee became the youngest male MMA World Champion in 2019 when he captured the lightweight gold. In 2022, “The Warrior” added the welterweight belt to become a two-division king. More impressively, 17 of his 18 wins came inside the distance, and he holds ONE Championship’s records for most wins, finishes, and first-round stoppages.
Despite the repertoire the defending titleholder brings to the table, Ruotolo believes he can usher in a new era and become the first ONE World Champion in both MMA and submission grappling.
He offered:
“It’s going to be a tough challenge. But I believe in myself, and as I said, I wouldn’t have asked for the match if I didn’t think I possessed all the skills necessary and the heart.
“It’s going to be a war. I don’t think it’s going to be easy, but I think I’m going to leave with the belt around my waist, and it’s going to be a gnarly night.”
Ruotolo Out To Rule Both Worlds
Victory on Friday would make Tye Ruotolo the newest member of ONE Championship’s exclusive two-sport World Champion club.
For the Californian, though, it’s about far more than hardware. MMA was always part of the plan when he and Kade signed with the world’s largest martial arts organization in 2022, and Friday night is where that vision comes to life.
He said:
“Winning the belt will mean a lot to me. It represents the opportunity to bridge the gap from just being a jiu-jitsu [stylist] to being a full martial artist. It would mean the world to me.
“I’ve always considered myself a full martial artist, and I’ve always wanted to be the best in the world in both disciplines. So now, I get an opportunity to fight the best in the world at 170, and I’m very excited. I believe I have what it takes to become a true champion of both.”
As for how their main event clash at The Inner Circle 37 on November 6 will unfold, the ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion knows exactly what he’s walking into.
Christian Lee has built his legacy on ending fights early, while Ruotolo has made a habit of forcing taps in both sports. Put those two styles together under the bright lights of Lumpinee Stadium, and the California native is relishing what lies ahead.
Ruotolo concluded:
“I’m excited to have an opportunity to face another exciting fighter. I believe we’re both going to go in, and pressure is going to meet pressure, and I’m sure there’s going to be some fireworks that come out of it.”
