Recently, Tye Ruotolo returned to the mats at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium, where he successfully defended his ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title. The 22-year-old champion secured a unanimous decision victory over Pawel Jaworski, the reigning IBJJF No-Gi World Champion.
Ruotolo set the tone early, opening with a double-leg takedown and pulling the action to the mat. Jaworski, a decorated technician in leg lock systems, was quick to respond, targeting the champion’s lower body relentlessly throughout the contest.
The two competitors cycled through scrambles and leg entanglements, with Ruotolo gradually working his way to top control and settling into half guard, where he began pinning Jaworski’s hands to the mat in an effort to slow the challenger’s leg attack entries.
The most dramatic moment came in the final 90 seconds. Jaworski locked onto a kneebar and secured the first catch of the match, briefly putting Ruotolo in real danger. The champion managed to escape, and once the action reset, he surged back into offense. With under 30 seconds remaining, Ruotolo scrambled into top position, transitioning into a mounted choke attempt before quickly chaining it into a triangle choke.
The final 90 seconds produced the match’s most consequential sequence. Jaworski clamped down on a kneebar and earned the first catch of the bout, putting the champion in immediate danger. Ruotolo worked his way free and the action reset.
With less than 30 seconds remaining, he scrambled back to top position and transitioned into a mounted choke attempt before following with a triangle choke.
Neither submission was finished before time expired, but the late offensive push reinforced what the judges had seen across the full 10 minutes: a champion who consistently applied pressure and refused to concede position.
All three judges awarded the decision to Ruotolo, whose forward aggression and positional control proved more persuasive than Jaworski’s leg lock offense over the full duration of the match. The Polish challenger delivered a strong performance against one of the sport’s most active champions, but it wasn’t quite enough to take the title.
The victory marks Ruotolo’s third successful title defense and pushes his professional grappling record to 37 wins and 12 losses.
