At ONE Fight Night 36, Isojima battered Argentina's Nicolas Vigna
It was a statement promotional debut that earned him a USD 50,000 bonus
Across from him stands Ruotolo -- one of the most dangerous submission hunters
The stage at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri has just grown even bigger. Two unbeaten forces – one forged in Japan’s MMA circuit, the other molded on jiu-jitsu mats around the world – are set to collide in Tokyo, Japan.
On Sunday, November 16, Japanese ace Shozo “Great Teacher” Isojima and ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo will square off in a lightweight MMA clash inside Ariake Arena, bringing together two mixed martial artists aiming to stay undefeated.
Isojima arrives in form and full of momentum.
Earlier this month at ONE Fight Night 36, he battered Argentina’s Nicolas Vigna with heavy ground-and-pound to finish the job in the second round.
It was a statement promotional debut that earned him a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong and introduced him to the global audience in emphatic fashion.
The win lifted his overall record to 6-0 and showed once again why fans in Japan have been following his rise closely since he turned pro in 2023. Dangerous both standing and on the canvas, the 28-year-old has shown time and again that he can seal victories from anywhere.
Now he’s looking to keep that momentum rolling in front of his home crowd, hoping another victory in Tokyo will push his name even higher in the lightweight ranks.
Across from him stands Ruotolo – one of the most dangerous submission hunters on the planet. The American superstar has been rewriting the limits of jiu-jitsu since his teenage years.
After capturing the ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title against Magomed Abdulkadirov at ONE Fight Night 16 in November 2023, the Californian successfully defended it twice against elite challengers Izaak Michell and Dante Leon.
But when he turned his focus to MMA, he proved there’s much more to his game than world-class grappling alone.
At ONE Fight Night 35 this past September, the 22-year-old made his lightweight MMA debut against Adrian “The Phenom” Lee.
He looked composed in the striking exchanges and unfazed when the pace picked up. Once the fight hit the canvas, though, his instincts took over. Ruotolo quickly worked his way to the back and sunk in his trademark rear-naked choke for another clean finish.
That flawless performance also earned him a US$50,000 bonus and hinted at how well his world-class grappling could blend with the rest of his MMA game.
Now, he returns for another test, this time against a fellow undefeated competitor in Isojima.
A win on November 16 would push Ruotolo’s record to 2-0 and bring him closer to the goal he’s long envisioned – a future showdown with reigning ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee, who defends his crown against Alibeg Rasulov on the same historic night.
