LOOK: The Ruotolo brothers share their jiu-jitsu belts as 18-year-old "veterans"

The Ruotolo brothers posted a social media picture displaying every Brazilian jiu-jitsu belt they’ve earned.

Kade and Tye Ruotolo are twins who have taken the submission grappling world by storm. The 20-year-old brothers started jiu-jitsu at a young age and received their black belts at 18. The rising superstars recently reflected on their success by sharing an Instagram photo with this caption:

“Youngest Veterans 15 years to get to black belt Age 3-18”

The Ruotolo brothers made their ONE Championship debut in May 2022 at ONE 157. Tye first competed against John Danaher affiliate Garry Tonon. He defeated Tonon with a D’arce choke in 97 seconds. After competing at the IBJJF and ADCC tournaments, Tye returned to the circle and took out Marat Gafurov with a wrist lock.

Kade secured a win in his ONE debut against Japanese legend Shinya Aoki. Four months later, he put the combat sports world on notice by becoming the youngest ADCC champion in tournament history, submitting all of his opponents along the way. Kade returned to ONE to become the lightweight submission grappling world champion against Uali Kurzhev and then defended his throne against Matheus Gabriel.

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What’s next for the Ruotolo brothers?

The Ruotolo brothers are looking to continue their rise to superstardom in 2023. Tye currently has his next match booked, while Kade is waiting for a new world title challenger. On May 5, Tye will take on ONE middleweight world champion Reinier de Ridder in submission grappling. The intriguing matchup will go down at ONE Fight Night 10 on Prime Video at the 1STBANK Center in Colorado.

Meanwhile, Kade doesn’t have his next submission grappling match booked, but there is someone close to securing a lightweight world title shot. Norwegian Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor Tommy Langaker made his ONE debut in August 2022, defeating Renato Canuto by unanimous decision. Langaker returns to the circle at ONE Fight Night 7 on February 24 at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

Langaker is taking on Uali Kurzhev, who lost to Kade last time out. If the Norwegian emerges victorious against Kurzhev, he has a strong argument for a shot at Kade’s ONE lightweight submission grappling world title. Although the 29-year-old has the skills to give Kade Ruotolo problems, dethroning the lightweight king is easier said than done.

ONE Fight Night 7 and ONE Fight Night 10 will be available live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.