At ONE on Prime Video 3, multiple-time sambo world champion Uali Kurzhev will take on 19-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu phenom Kade Ruotolo for the inaugural ONE lightweight submission grappling world title.

Though he failed his hydration tests and won’t be eligible to win ONE Championship gold, Kurzhev is still motivated to make a statement against one of the hottest grapplers in all of jiu-jitsu.

Undefeated as a black belt and coming off four straight submission wins en route to becoming the youngest ADCC world champion in history, the 19-year-old Ruotolo is already looking like a pound-for-pound great.

Surprisingly, Kurzhev – who has high-level judo competition experience in addition to sambo – says he only recently learned who Ruotolo is.

“Didn’t know about him,” he said. “(The) first time I heard his name was when I got offered this fight.”

But since then, the Russian has scouted Ruotolo and his uniquely potent, submission-oriented game.

After watching the tape, Kurzhev and his team created a plan to attack his opponent in one area that all sambo athletes are well-versed in – leg locks.

“I have analyzed my opponent,” the Russian began. “He has decent skills both on the ground and in standup. We discussed a game plan with my coach and the plan is to build our strategy around leg locks, as they are practiced in both sambo and BJJ.”

In high level no-gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu, twisting leg locks like the heel hook play a huge role. Sambo, on the other hand, tends to focus on lower-body submissions that attack the ankle, like the straight foot lock or the toehold.

Beyond leg locks, Kurzhev also believes he holds an advantage over the teenage sensation so long as the two athletes are on the feet. In the wrestling and takedown departments, he will again lean on his 27 years of training in the Russian martial art.

“Sambo’s advantage is its developed standup,” he said. “We will fight in a cage, which is convenient – I will be able to push him against the cage.”

Of course, even against the circle wall, Ruotolo has proven to be a threat. In his promotional debut against Shinya Aoki at ONE 157 earlier this year, the youngster launched himself off the cage’s fence to take his opponent’s back, showcasing just how creative his grappling can be.

Ultimately, though, the Russian is focusing on his own skill set and what he brings to the table.

More than just an expert in sambo, Kurzhev is the elite of the elite, and he plans to rely on that experience and knowledge in his World Title match against Ruotolo, well aware of the advantages his art has over Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

“Sambo athletes have better stand-up skills, great leg locks,” he said. “BJJ guys spend more time in the guard, but sambo is not bad there either.”