Kade Ruotolo Out, Fabricio Andrey To Face Owen Jones At ONE Fight Night 44
Fabricio “Hokage” Andrey will have a new opponent and a fresh date for his next blockbuster appearance in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
The Brazilian standout is now set to welcome promotional newcomer Owen Jones in a featherweight submission grappling clash at ONE Fight Night 44: Jarvis vs. Rungrawee II on Prime Video. Broadcasting from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, this highly anticipated 10-minute battle goes down live in U.S. primetime on Friday, June 26.
Andrey was originally scheduled to challenge reigning ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo. However, the divisional king is out due to an injury sustained following his recent lightweight MMA victory over Hiroyuki “Japanese Beast” Tetsuka at The Inner Circle.
With his shot at 26 pounds of gold momentarily delayed, “Hokage” shifts his focus to extending his flawless 3-0 promotional record. The Manaus native has consistently electrified the global fanbase with a fiercely aggressive approach, utilizing highly explosive takedowns and dynamic flying attacks to dispatch top-tier adversaries.
Thus far, he has secured clinical unanimous decision wins over Ashley Williams, Eduardo Granzotto, and Joao “Bisnaga” Mendes. Now, the 26-year-old is hunting for a spectacular submission finish to definitively cement his status as the unquestioned next man in line for the belt.
Looking to derail the Brazilian’s surge is Jones, a highly touted ONE Championship debutant, bursting onto the global stage with immense hype.
The 21-year-old British prodigy initially grew up playing rugby before transitioning to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He quickly blossomed into a world-class talent under the banner of Apex Jiu-Jitsu Academy while also cross-training at the renowned B-Team in Austin, Texas.
The Londoner truly shocked the grappling world when he won the 2023 ADCC European Trials. Coming seemingly out of nowhere, he ran through a heavily stacked 66-kilogram division, defeating top-tier competitors like Robert Degle and one of Andrey’s past victims, Williams, to earn his prestigious spot at the ADCC World Championship.
Stylistically, he offers a remarkable contrast to his electric upcoming foe. While Andrey thrives on chaotic movement and explosion, Jones utilizes his leg lock mastery to ground faster opponents. He is widely known for his reverse closed guard and devastating lower-limb attacks, relying heavily on elite technique and leverage over raw size to break down stronger competitors.
If the English newcomer can successfully apply those punishing heel hooks and toe holds, he could capitalize on the biggest opportunity of his young career and completely steal Andrey’s momentum.
Conversely, “Hokage” desperately needs to protect his perfect promotional record and solidify his position at the top of the contender ranks when they lock horns on Friday, June 26.
