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In some ways, Tye Ruotolo is an embodiment of what drew people to jiu-jitsu when the martial art first started to explode in the 90s.
The elite grappler is always willing to test himself in openweight brackets, where his skill and technique will do all the talking against larger opposition.
Unfortunately, the ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion has reason to believe that this essence has been drained from the sport, which has undergone some major changes at the highest level and seems to have lost touch with that initial impression.
Instead, the top level of the sport is often dominated by the biggest and stronger competitors. Considering the Ruotolo brothers' very open opinions on the role of performance-enhancing drugs in the sport, it’s safe to say they’re not big fans of this evolution.
During an appearance on The Fighter and The Kid, Tye gave his take on how the landscape of jiu-jitsu has changed over the years:
“You see the smaller Gracie take down this huge guy and all of a sudden he's choking him out. How did that guy just beat him, you know? That was my dad, he was always super into that and, you know, I feel like over time, jiu-jitsu has been starting to lose that essence [smaller guy being beating the bigger guy], you know?”
Watch the full interview below:
Tye Ruotolo and his brother are not the types to be put off by this evolution
It may come across like Tye Ruotolo wishes that things would go back to the way they once were but frankly, challenging himself is exactly the way he likes it.
Both he and his brother Kade aren’t afraid to seek out the biggest challenges that are out there for them, as proven by their incredible track records at just 20 years old.
The two brothers have gone undefeated in ONE Championship, where they have both secured world championships.
As Tye prepares to defend his belt for the first time, Kade will be in action in ONE’s return to Japan, where he will face off with Tommy Langaker for a second time.
ONE 165 will air live on January 28 in Asian primetime. Check your local listings for more details.
