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Reigning and undisputed ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion Kade Ruotolo of the United States says Brazilian jiu-jitsu's belt system is out of sync.
The 21-year-old phenom in particular says that not all black belts are made equal. If it were up to the American phenom, merit would be judged solely on your achievements in competition.
Speaking on the Jaxxon Podcast in a recent guest appearance, Ruotolo talked about different coaches having varied requirements for students to earn the highest accolade in the discipline.
The lightweight submission grappling king said:
"Every coach is different. They are going to require different things from their students. Once I feel like you're deserving of the belt, then it's time. That's why it gets a bit of whitewashed. Because every coach has different expectations and needs from their students. It gets super whitewashed there."
Ruotolo and his twin brother Tye, the reigning ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion, have trained in BJJ since the age of 8. They both earned their black belts at the age of 18, under the tutelage of Brazilian legend and Atos founder Andre Galvao.
See the full interview below:
Needless to say, the Ruotolo twins fought their way to the top and have earned everything they have right now.
Kade Ruotolo to make pro MMA debut against Blake Cooper at ONE 167
21-year-old Kade Ruotolo of the United States is hard at work preparing for the toughest test of his young career.
The ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion is set to make his professional mixed martial arts debut, when he takes on fellow American Blake Cooper at ONE 167: Stamp vs. Zamboanga on Prime Video.
The event broadcasts live from the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch the action live and absolutely free on Friday, June 7, U.S. primetime, with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
