'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion Kade Ruotolo is proud of what he has achieved in the sport. However, he admits the road to it has not been easy and he is thankful that he has a great support system, which includes his twin brother Tye.
The Ruotolo twins have been side by side since picking up jiu-jitsu as kids all the way to when they were winning all the top prizes in international competitions while representing the United States and now in ONE Championship.
Kade Ruotolo, 20, said Tye has always been there for him, giving him advice to help him stay the course and forge ahead.
One of the best pieces of advice he has gotten from his twin brother, he said, is to continue battling on despite the adversities. Kade Ruotolo shared to ONE Championship in an interview:
“I think the biggest piece of advice is [from] my brother. And it's for every time that [things] start getting really difficult, especially when injuries tend to [prevent us from competing.] I think of this a lot when I'm injured more. But he always says, ‘You know, it's like a war out there, the competition, the fights, it's like war.’”
Kade and Tye Ruotolo joined ONE Championship last year and are now among the noted faces of submission grappling under the promotion.
Between them, they are undefeated in six matches to date and with no signs of slowing down.
Kade Ruotolo became the ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion last October where he defeated Russian Uali Kurzhev by submission (heel hook) for the inaugural title. The win also earned him a $50,000 performance bonus.
He is set to make his second title defense on June 9 at ONE Fight Night 11 on Prime Video in Bangkok against challenger Tommy Langaker of Norway.
Tye Ruotolo, meanwhile, was in action earlier this month at ONE’s first-ever live on-ground event in the United States, defeating ONE middleweight world champion Reinier de Ridder by unanimous decision in their submission grappling super fight.
ONE Fight Night 11 will take place at the famed Lumpinee Boxing Stadium and will be aired live and for free to North American fans with an active Prime Video subscription.
