Tye Ruotolo Returns To Grappling Roots After MMA Conquest To Face Polish Phenom Pawel Jaworski
The transition to mixed martial arts couldn’t have gone smoother for Tye Ruotolo. Two fights, two first-round rear-naked chokes, two previously undefeated opponents now carrying losses on their records. Adrian Lee fell at ONE Fight Night 35 in September. Shozo Isojima followed at ONE 173 in November.
The 22-year-old American had conquered a new discipline with the same ruthless efficiency he’d displayed throughout his grappling career, leaving observers wondering if he’d ever return to submission grappling or continue pursuing MMA glory.
On March 13 at ONE Fight Night 41 inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, the answer arrives when he defends his ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title against Polish challenger Pawel Jaworski in a 10-minute clash that determines who stands atop the division.
The California native’s grappling resume speaks for itself. An immaculate 4-0 start against elite-level opposition culminated in his coronation as inaugural world champion in November 2023 when he dominated Russia’s Magomed Abdulkadirov via unanimous decision.
The Atos product then displayed creative brilliance at ONE Fight Night 21 in April 2024, securing an innovative head-and-arm choke variation later dubbed the “Ruotolo-tine” for the submission finish at the 4:43 mark during his first title defense against rival Izaak Michell.
Now he faces a hungry challenger who earned his opportunity by tearing through the European grappling scene with ruthless efficiency. The impressive 21-year-old Polish phenom captured the 2025 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship at 85 kilograms last December, cementing his status as one of the sport’s brightest young talents in his first year as a black belt.
Jaworski also claimed double gold at the IBJJF No-Gi Euros, winning both his weight class and the absolute division while finishing seven of nine opponents with his submission-first approach and devastating leg-lock expertise.
The Academia Gorila affiliate brings elite-level experience into his ONE Championship debut, holding notable victories over respected BJJ veterans PJ Barch and Devhonte Johnson outside the promotion. His aggressive style matches perfectly against Ruotolo’s chaotic scrambling ability and relentless finishing instincts, setting up a collision between two of grappling’s most explosive talents to determine who stands atop the welterweight submission grappling world.
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