‘My Hard Work Must Pay Off’ – Magomed Abdulkadirov Determined To Upset Tye Ruotolo For Submission Grappling Gold

Dagestani sensation Magomed Abdulkadirov is aiming to shock the world, take out a young superstar, and secure his spot atop the submission grappling world.

On November 3 at ONE Fight Night 16: Haggerty vs. Andrade on Prime Video, the 32-year-old will lock horns with American BJJ phenom Tye Ruotolo for the inaugural ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title in Bangkok, Thailand.

Abdulkadirov knows the 10-minute contest – slated to air live in U.S. primetime from Lumpinee Boxing Stadium – will be his chance to prove he belongs among the best of the best ground fighters on the planet.

After all, Ruotolo is undefeated across four ONE submission grappling bouts, is the youngest IBJJF Black Belt World Champion in history, and is widely regarded as one of the sport’s most entertaining competitors.

But Abdulkadirov is unfazed by his foe’s global fame and impressive accolades. Instead, he’s determined to showcase his own talent and claim 26 pounds of gold:

“I’m confident in my abilities, and I will be able to prove that Russian and Dagestani grappling is at a world-class level. If you are not confident, you have nothing to do at this level.

“My hard work must pay off. I create the situations, but the result is up to the Almighty. My plan is to force my own game on him and get my opponent to make mistakes.”

While his 20-year-old opponent might be the higher-profile name, Abdulkadirov is an accomplished competitor in his own right. A multiple-time UWW World Grappling Champion and a European ADCC Grappling Champion, he possesses elite talent and experience.

Still, he admits that a win over Ruotolo – and the belt that comes along with it – would represent a new level of achievement.

After a lifetime of training in the grappling arts, Abdulkadirov is primed and ready to leave his mark on the sport:

“The victory and the ONE World Title would start a new chapter in my career, in my life. I have given my whole youth to this sport, and I am extremely motivated to win the vacant belt to write my name in history.”

Abdulkadirov: ‘Constant Pressure Is The Key’ Against Ruotolo

Envisioning a win over Tye Ruotolo is one thing, but actually pulling it off is another. To that end, Magomed Abdulkadirov is quick to acknowledge the Californian’s prodigious abilities.

He said:

“Ruotolo is very good. He is young and hungry, although he already has some titles under his belt.”

But rather than concerning himself with what Ruotolo brings to the table, the Dagestani is focused on his own game.

For fans who haven’t yet seen the promotional newcomer grapple, he says they can look forward to aggressive, relentless guard-passing and technical submission hunting:

“My greatest strengths are pressuring, working on the offense, working from the top and from the back. I also have my favorite techniques: rear-naked choke and kimura.”

If Abdulkadirov wants to score the upset at ONE Fight Night 16, he knows he’ll need to keep his foot on the gas pedal for every second of his battle with Ruotolo.

It’s with relentless, nonstop aggression that he believes he’ll hand the American his first defeat in the organization and leave Bangkok as a ONE World Champion.

He added:

“The ability to put on constant pressure is the key to my victory in the upcoming fight. This way, I can force my opponent to make mistakes.”