A highly anticipated clash between two of the most young competitors is officially set for ONE Fight Night 23 on Prime Video. ONE Welterweight Champion Tye Ruotolo will face the debuting teenage sensation Jozef Chen in a 186-pound catchweight battle live in U.S. primetime on Friday, July 5.
Tye Ruotolo has gone 6-0 in ONE that includes two submission victories over renowned grapplers – Garry Tonon and Izaak Michell. Ruotolo has consistently delivered on the global stage. Tye Ruotolo made history by becoming the youngest participant in ADCC at the age of 16 in 2019 and the youngest IBJJF World Champion in 2022.
At just 21 years old, the Atos representative has a long and promising career ahead of him, and he appears set to go down as an all-time great in the sport.
However, Ruotolo will face another phenom in Jozef Chen, who has already made a significant name for himself on the submission grappling circuit despite being only 19 years old. The B Team Jiu Jitsu athlete took up the sport at the age of 14, but his dedication and work ethic have fueled a meteoric rise to the top.
Chen’s recent accomplishment was winning six matches in a single day – including a victory over former ONE World Title challenger Tommy Langaker – to claim the ADCC European Trials in 2023. Now, he’ll have the opportunity to showcase his skills on the biggest platform of all.
With their incredible resumes, the grappling styles of Ruotolo and Chen promise an entertaining battle. Both men are high-octane and well-rounded competitors who constantly push the pace in exciting matchups.
Although it’s a non-title catchweight contest, the outcome will have major implications for the welterweight submission grappling division moving forward, so there’s a lot at stake for the reigning king and his highly touted foe.
