Ruotolo Submits Lee To Win ONE Lightweight Title

Tye Ruotolo dropped and submitted Christian Lee in the first round Friday to claim the ONE Championship lightweight belt in Bangkok.

Ruotolo, who already holds ONE's grappling championship, landed a striking combination that sent Lee to the canvas before transitioning to ground strikes and eventually taking the back for a rear-naked choke finish in just over three minutes, MMA Fighting reports. The win earned Ruotolo a $100,000 performance bonus at Lumpinee Stadium.

Ruotolo's Third Straight First-Round Finish

The submission marked Ruotolo's third professional MMA bout and third consecutive first-round rear-naked choke victory in ONE. He told the Bangkok Post News after the fight that he wanted the quick finish. "I 100 percent wanted to get it done in the first round," Ruotolo said. "It was epic. Got my hands go. I consider that a TKO [laughs] even though I finished him with the sub."

Ruotolo becomes a rare two-sport champion in the Singapore-based promotion, holding titles in both grappling and MMA competition. Lee, a former lightweight kingpin, falls to his second loss in his last three outings. Ruotolo's next defense date has not been announced.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — Tye Ruotolo drops, submits Christian Lee to win ONE MMA title