At simply 21 years of age, Kade Ruotolo has already completed greater than most ever will in aggressive grappling, which incorporates his ADCC championship in 2022.
Whereas he’ll always remember his roots, Ruotolo now prepares to make his MMA debut at ONE 167 on Friday, which was at all times the plan for him. Regardless of the lengthy checklist of accolades he’s amassed in grappling (with plans so as to add much more within the close to future), Ruotolo knew he would change into a fighter together with his twin brother Tye finally anticipated to do the identical.
“I at all times knew from a younger age I might be placing on the gloves,” Ruotolo informed MMA Combating. “It was at all times a bucket checklist kind factor for me. I’ve at all times loved watching it, liked watching it as youngsters. We’d go over to our grandpa’s home and he’d at all times have the UFC fights on or no matter.
“We’re at all times tremendous into it, at all times watching and clearly doing jiu-jitsu at the moment. We at all times knew someday that when we completed virtually every little thing we needed to in jiu-jitsu that we might make that transition over.”
As a result of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and aggressive grappling have taken up a lot of his time through the years, Ruotolo admits he didn’t focus a lot on MMA coaching till the previous few years. He did practice some Muay Thai when he was a child, however largely stayed targeted on his grappling profession till lately.
With plans to finally do MMA already planted in his thoughts, Ruotolo began taking child steps in the direction of the game by incorporating extra placing and wrestling into his coaching routine. What he didn’t count on was having fun with MMA as a lot as jiu-jitsu.
“I’m positively in love with it,” Ruotolo mentioned. “I feel what’s really easy to like about it for me is that I’m studying one thing new each single day. It’s not that I don’t in jiu-jitsu, however simply the quantity that I’m studying each, single day, it’s refreshing. It looks like I’m a child once more. I’m again at white belt once more, climbing the ranks. I’m in love with it. I’m virtually to say greater than jiu-jitsu to be trustworthy with you. I like placing.”
Ruotolo surrounded himself with one of the best trainers he might discover, together with legendary MMA coach Erik Paulson, who helped him adapt his world-class grappling to be used within the cage.
Even with all of his expertise within the greatest Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions around the globe, Ruotolo admits he figured rapidly that Paulson was a fountain of knowledge.
“I used to be born in 2003 so I used to be like Erik Paulson?” Ruotolo mentioned. “I’m sitting there scratching my head and I am going in there and he exhibits me three leg locks I by no means knew and I began utilizing all of them day at school, all through the entire subsequent week. It simply blew my thoughts. Proper whenever you suppose you realize all of the leg locks! He confirmed me three I didn’t actually have a clue about.
“That’s after I knew this was the person on the grappling, jiu-jitsu and wrestling, that was him.”
As a lot as he’s loved his coaching and preparation, Ruotolo admits nothing got here straightforward, which is why he believes so many high-level grapplers discuss doing MMA after which abandon that plan earlier than it involves fruition.
“There’s positively a purpose why you see lots of guys declare they’re going to do MMA they usually by no means fairly make it there,” Ruotolo mentioned. “It’s an entire totally different ball sport. An entire totally different sport.
“You actually do should commit your every little thing into it so far as coaching, the restoration, every little thing. It’s a lot extra drastic than a jiu-jitsu match or a jiu-jitsu camp even.”
Ruotolo hopes he will get to point out off all his totally different instruments in his MMA debut, but in addition is aware of he has a weapon that’s removed from secret. He additionally expects to point out his opponents one thing they’ve by no means witnessed earlier than.
“I feel lots of people can be shocked at my willingness and my gameness to combat and never simply search for a takedown and grapple,” Ruotolo mentioned. “However in essentially the most humble manner doable, it’s been a really very long time for the reason that MMA world has seen a degree of grappling akin to my brother and I. Jiu-jitsu has been evolving a lot and altering a lot in recent times, wrestling is so necessary, leg locks, all that is necessary.
“I’m undecided if the MMA world is prepared for it. I’m excited to point out what I can do.”
Whereas his major focus stays on his upcoming combat in June, Ruotolo nonetheless plans on returning to grappling with the upcoming ADCC event in July. He additionally has a person grappling match booked towards Mikey Musumeci when ONE Championship returns to the USA in September.
After that, Ruotolo needs to e book his second MMA combat.
That in all probability looks as if an formidable checklist of objectives for any individual who’s simply now debuting, however Ruotolo doesn’t need to waste any time, particularly in the course of the prime years of his athletic profession.
“I’m 21, I need to reap the benefits of this youth,” Ruotolo mentioned. “I positively don’t need to be preventing deep into my 30s. Undoubtedly not even deep into my 20s actually. My entire thought is I’m getting my work executed now. The earlier the higher actually.
“I’m not right here to simply change into one other jiu-jitsu man or an MMA man. I need to be thought-about one of many best fight athletes of all time.”
Trending Merchandise
