The MMA world was buzzing when ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo boldly declared "The Lee fight sounds interesting" after defending his title against Dante Leon in May 2025, setting up a fascinating clash with undefeated Adrian Lee.
Their lightweight MMA showdown at ONE Fight Night 35 on 6 September at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium represents a massive gamble for the grappling champion, who will be making his professional MMA debut against one of the sport's youngest stars.
Lee learned about Ruotolo's callout in the most unexpected way possible while enjoying downtime with his girlfriend.
"I was on my trip with my girlfriend. I saw [an article] pop up. It was like, 'Tye Ruotolo wants to fight Adrian Lee,' and I was like, 'What?' I was like, 'I don't think that's a good idea,'" Lee revealed.
Despite his initial reservations, Lee's competitive spirit ultimately prevailed when ONE Championship presented the official opportunity.
"Later on, they sent over the contracts, and I was like, 'You know what? I'll take it. That's a great fight for me.' I don't think that it is the smartest decision for his debut fight, but it is what it is," the youngest Lee family member admitted.
The undefeated fighter draws a clear distinction between grappling excellence and MMA readiness, questioning whether Ruotolo has prepared adequately for the transition.
"He's a great grappler. He's very accomplished, but that's grappling. Grappling and MMA are very different. You can't just practice MMA for two years and think you're ready to go pro," Lee warned.
His confidence extends to predicting multiple ways he can finish the fight.
"I really feel like I'm gonna beat him everywhere in this fight. Honestly, I'd say [this could end with a] first or second round knockout, TKO, or submission. I could see it going all three ways," Lee said.
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