Tye Ruotolo
Tye Ruotolo (born January 22, 2003) is an American submission grappler and black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu athlete. A competitor with his twin brother Kade since the age of 3, Ruotolo is currently the youngest IBJJF World champion at black belt level in the history of the sport.[1][3] At the 2019 ADCC World Championship, Ruotolo as a 16-year-old was the youngest competitor to participate in the competition and also to reach the semi-finals where he eventually came fourth place.[1][4][5] Following promotion to black belt in December 2021, Ruotolo became a two division Who's Number One (WNO) champion, world champion at the 2022 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship and a bronze medalist at the 2022 ADCC World Championship.[1][6][2]
Tye Ruotolo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | [1] Maui, Hawaii, USA[1] | January 22, 2003||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Residence | San Diego, California | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 180 lb (82 kg; 13 st) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reach | 77 in (196 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Style | Submission Grappling Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | Atos Jiu-Jitsu Art of Jiu Jitsu (AOJ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Trainer | André Galvão Guilherme and Rafael Mendes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rank | BJJ black belt (under André Galvão)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relatives | Kade Ruotolo (twin brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Ruotolo is currently signed to ONE Championship.[7]
Background
Born in Maui, Hawaii, of Italian and Puerto Rican heritage, Ruotolo was raised in Huntington Beach, California, and began competing in jiujitsu at age 3. Ruotolo and his twin brother Kade were considered "grappling's first child-stars" and earned a sponsorship with RVCA at the age of 10.[1] They trained at the Art Of Jiu-Jitsu academy (AOJ) for 4 years under Guilherme and Rafael Mendes before switching to Atos jiu-jitsu in 2017, a team to which AOJ was affiliated.[1]
Grappling career
In 2019, Ruotolo who was a 16-year-old blue belt, participated in the 2019 ADCC World Championship in the Lightweight division making him the youngest competitor in history at the time.[1][4][5] He defeated Bruno Frazatto and Pablo Mantovani before losing to Kennedy Maciel in the semi-final.[1][5] He faced Paulo Miyao in the Bronze medal match and lost on points.[1][5] Ruotolo caught Miyao in a kneebar but refused to tap which has resulted in Miyao's knee suffering long term damage.[8]
Both Ruotolo and his brother Kade were promoted to brown belts in BJJ by André Galvão in October 2020.[9]
Black belt career
In September 2021, Ruotolo became WNO 185 lb champion by defeating Johnny Tama, Dante Leon and Micael Galvão.[1][6][10]
In the 2021 IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Ruotolo faced his brother, Kade in the finals of Brown Belt Lightweight division.[2][11] Ruotolo submitted Kade by armbar.[11] Shortly after this, both of them were promoted to black belt on December 14, 2021, by André Galvão.[2]
In January 2022, Ruotolo became a two division WNO champion after winning the WNO 170 lb championship by submitting Levi Jones by kneebar.[1][6]
In the 2022 IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Ruotolo earned a silver medal in the Black Belt Lightweight division after losing to Micael Galvão in the finals on points, but was later declared the world champion after Galvão tested positive for clomiphene.[1][12][13] This meant that Ruotolo became the youngest IBJJF black belt world champion of all time.[3]
In the 2022 ADCC World Championship, Ruotolo competed in the Absolute division against heavier opponents where he defeated Pedro Marinho and Felipe Pena before losing to Nicholas Meregali in a judge decision.[1][14] Ruotolo obtained a bronze medal after Cyborg Abreu medically forfeited the bronze medal match.[1][14]
Ruotolo competed in the IBJJF World Championship 2023 on June 3 and 4, 2023 and won a bronze medal in the middleweight division.[15]
ONE Championship
On May 20, 2022, Ruotolo faced Garry Tonon at ONE 157 for his submission grappling debut in the promotion.[1][5][7] He submitted Tonon by D'Arce choke in 97 seconds.[1][5][7] This win earned Ruotolo his first Performance of the Night bonus award.[16]
On December 23, 2022, Ruotolo faced former ONE Featherweight World Champion, Marat Gafurov in a submission grappling catchweight bout of 180lbs at ONE on Prime Video 5.[1][10] Ruotolo summitted Gafurov by triangle armbar.[1][10] This win earned Ruotolo his second Performance of the Night bonus award.[17]
Ruotolo was scheduled to face Reinier de Ridder on May 5, 2023, at ONE Fight Night 10.[18] He won the match by unanimous decision.[19] In his post-fight interview, Ruotolo challenged Nicholas Meregali to be his next opponent in ONE Championship.[20]
Ruotolo competed against Dagi Arslanaliev at ONE Fight Night 13 on August 5, 2023.[21] He won the match by rear-naked choke submission and was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus award.[22]
Ruotolo is scheduled to compete against Muhammad Abdulkadirov for the inaugural ONE Championship welterweight submission grappling title at ONE Fight Night 16 on November 3rd, 2023.[23]
Mixed martial arts career
The contract that Ruotolo signed to compete in grappling matches for ONE Championship also included provisions for MMA fights as well.[24] Both Tye and his brother Kade Ruotolo announced that they were going to make their professional mixed martial arts debuts before the end of 2023.[25]
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitive summary
Main Achievements:[1]
- 2 x WNO Champion (170 lb & 185 lb)
- 1st place IBJJF World Championship (2022)
- 2nd place 3QG Kumite 5 GP (2020)
- 3rd place ADCC World Championship (2022)
- 4th place ADCC World Championship (2019)
Main Achievements (Juvenile + Colored belts[1]):
- IBJJF World Champion (2019, 2021 brown belt)
- IBJJF European Champion (2019)
- 2nd place IBJJF European Championship (2019[lower-alpha 1])
Instructor lineage
Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr. → Helio Gracie → Rolls Gracie → Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti → Alexandre Paiva → Fernando "Tererê" Augusto → André Galvao → Tye Ruotolo
Notes
- Absolute
References
- "Tye Ruotolo | BJJ Heroes".
- Rogers, Kian (December 14, 2021). "Kade And Tye Ruotolo Promoted To BJJ Black Belt". Jitsmagazine.com.
- Jones, Phil (April 12, 2023). "Tye Ruotolo Officially Becomes Youngest IBJJF World Champion". JitsMagazine. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
- "ADCC 2019: Tye Ruotolo set to make history as youngest competitor". FanSided. September 9, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- Wheaton, Timothy (July 4, 2022). "Tye Ruotolo gives ominous prediction for this year's ADCC World Championship". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- "Grappling Bulletin: Tye Ruotolo Becomes First Two Division WNO Champ – FloGrappling". www.flograppling.com. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- Morgan, John. "Teenage Grappling Phenoms Kade and Tye Ruotolo Tease Future Match at ONE Championship". Sports Illustrated.
- BJJEE (December 23, 2022). "Paulo Miyao Details Long Term Knee Damage from Not Tapping to Tye Ruotolo at ADCC 2019". Bjj Eastern Europe. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- Jones, Phil (October 20, 2020). "Ruotolo Brothers Both Promoted To Brown Belt". Jitsmagazine.com. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- Wheaton, Timothy (December 13, 2022). ""He's an absolute beast" – Tye Ruotolo all praise for Marat Gafurov after submitting him at ONE on Prime Video 5". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- Admin, BJJEE1 (December 12, 2021). "Ruotolo Brothers Face Each Other in Epic 2021 IBJJF Worlds Final Match". Bjj Eastern Europe. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- "The Rivalry Between Mica Galvao and Tye Ruotolo is Far From Over – FloGrappling". www.flograppling.com. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- "WORLD IBJJF JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP 2022". www.ibjjf.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- "Live Updates & Results | 2022 ADCC World Championships – FloGrappling". www.flograppling.com. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- "IBJJF World Championship 2023 Full Results And Review". JitsMagazine. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- Imperial, Ben (May 20, 2022). "Petchmorakot Petchyindee, Joseph Lasiri, Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Tye Ruotolo earn performance bonuses at ONE 157". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- "Malykhin, Marques, Ruotolo Earn Performance Bonuses At ONE On Prime Video 5". ONE Championship – The Home Of Martial Arts. December 3, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- Jay Furness (February 6, 2023). "Reinier de Ridder vs. Tye Ruotolo Submission Grappling Super-Match added to ONE Fight Night 10". ONE Championship – The Home of Martial Arts. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
- "Tye Ruotolo And Reinier De Ridder Put On A Show At ONE Fight Night 10". JitsMagazine. May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- Rogers, Kian (May 6, 2023). "Tye Ruotolo Calls Out Nicholas Meregali For Next ONE Championship Match". JitsMagazine. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- Lindsey, Alex (August 2023). "Tye Ruotolo To Compete Against Dagi Arslanaliev At ONE Fight Night 13". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
- "Tye Ruotolo Dominates Despite Controversy At ONE Fight Night 13". Jitsmagazine. August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
- Burne, Kathrine. "Tye Ruotolo To Fight For Welterweight Title At ONE Fight Night 16". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- Lindsey, Alex (March 15, 2022). "The Ruotolo Brothers Sign With ONE Championship For BJJ And MMA Debut". JitsMagazine. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- Phillips, Sabrina (May 2, 2023). "Ruotolo Brothers Announce Plans For MMA Debut In 2023". JitsMagazine. Retrieved May 2, 2023.