Following in your family’s footsteps can be a tumultuous path to follow, especially in combat sports. Many attempt to duplicate the success of their predecessors, but not many manage to do so. For Blake Cooper, who fights Kade Ruotolo at ONE 167, following in the legacy of his father and brother wasn’t something he felt pressured to do. Instead, he believes it was his destiny.
And at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II on Friday, June 7, he’ll take notable steps to ensure his name is put in high regard when he meets ONE Lightweight SubmissionGrappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo in the latter’s MMA debut inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Impact Arena.
Son of Hawaiian legend Ray Cooper and brother of accoladed MMA World Champion Ray Cooper III, the 27-year-old knew it was inevitable that he would step inside the cage sooner or later. And when it came down to it, he had the work ethic and DNA to become a formidable name.
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“Eventually, I knew I was gonna want to fight. I grew up around fighting. I watched my dad fight. All of my uncles fought, so I kind of grew up around the crowd of MMA. But I was really focused on wrestling, growing up into high school and through college. And then watching my brother compete more often,” Cooper said.
“When it came to training and work ethic, they were really some of the people I looked up to just because of how they were and their accomplishments. I’d say my dad and my older brother are the people I look up to be successful.”
Coincidentally, his opponent Ruotolo is also a lifelong martial artist. He’ll be looking to get his MMA career off to a flying start against Cooper. But the Hawaiian has a boatload more experience in 4-ounce gloves than his decorated adversary. On top of that, Cooper knows that stopping any momentum Ruotolo looks to gather will have everybody talking about him after ONE 167.
Blake Cooper feels “grateful” ahead of the Kade Ruotolo clash
Coming from a legendary fighting family, lightweight MMA talent Blake Cooper is well aware of how pivotal his own career is to his heritage.
The biggest bout of his career arrives at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II on Friday, 7 June, but he’s grateful that this is the life he gets to live. Waking up every day, getting to train and do what he loves, no matter how tough – Cooper views it as a blessing.
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“It’s just tons and tons of support on both sides of the family, and I’m just grateful that I have the parents and the family to be able to compete to do this, to do this for a living,” Cooper said.
“So I’m just grateful and I’m blessed that I have the family that allows me to do what I do.”
His opponent, ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo, is also just as enthusiastic about competition and his MMA debut inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Impact Arena. But Cooper enters the more experienced man, and he hopes victory will transform him into a star.
