Adrian Lee questions Tye Ruotolo’s decision to fight him in MMA debut: "I don't think that it is the smartest decision"

ONE Championship lightweight MMA star ‘The Phenom’ Adrian Lee of Singapore and the United States believes upcoming opponent ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion Tye Ruotolo may have bitten off more than he can chew by selecting him for his highly anticipated pro MMA debut.

The 19-year-old Hawaii resident will face Ruotolo in an all-American clash at ONE Fight Night 35: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger on Prime Video next weekend.

Lee believes that the fight represents an excellent opportunity for his own career progression, and he relishes the chance to test himself against a world-class grappler transitioning to MMA.

However, the 19-year-old questions whether Ruotolo made the right choice for his first foray into MMA competition. Most fighters would typically face easier opponents for their MMA debut, but Ruotolo has chosen to jump directly into deep waters against an established star with extensive MMA experience.

Lee told ONE Championship:

"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."

ONE Fight Night 35: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger on Prime Video will go down live at the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand and will stream in U.S. primetime on Friday, September 5. Fans in North America can catch all the action on Prime Video.

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Adrian Lee gives props to brother Christian Lee: “He's one of the best coaches ever”

‘The Phenom’ Adrian Lee is full of confidence heading into his highly anticipated battle with Tye Ruotolo at ONE Fight Night 35: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger on Prime Video next weekend, and a big part of that confidence stems from the fact that his head coach is none other than reigning ONE lightweight and welterweight MMA world champion ‘The Warrior’ Christian Lee.

He told South China Morning Post:

“My brother as a coach, he's one of the best coaches ever. You know, he has so much knowledge and insight, and I'm really happy to have him in my corner.”

Check back with Sportskeeda MMA for more updates on Adrian Lee.