Kade Ruotolo

Kade Ruotolo
Born	(2003-01-22) January 22, 2003 (age 21) Maui, Hawaii, U.S.
Residence	San Diego, California
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	76 kg (168 lb; 12 st 0 lb)
Division	Featherweight
Reach	75 in (191 cm)
Style	Submission Grappling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Team	Atos Jiu-Jitsu Art of Jiu Jitsu (AOJ)
Trainer	André Galvão Guilherme and Rafael Mendes
Rank	BJJ black belt (under André Galvão) [1]
Mixed martial arts record
Total	2
Wins	2
By submission	2
Losses	0
Notable relatives	Tye Ruotolo (twin brother)
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Medal record Submission Grappling Representing  United States ADCC World Championship 2022 Nevada, USA -77 kg

Kade Ruotolo (born January 22, 2003) is an American submission grappler and black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu athlete. A competitor with his twin brother Tye since the age of 3, Ruotolo is a IBJJF World champion, Pan Am and European Open champion at every coloured belt level. Promoted to black belt in December 2021, Ruotolo won the 2022 ADCC World Championship in the 77 kg division, becoming at age 19 the youngest-ever ADCC Submission Fighting World champion. ^[2] Ruotolo is signed to ONE Championship where he is the current lightweight submission grappling champion. ^[3]

Early life

Born in Maui, Hawaii, of Italian and Puerto Rican heritage, Ruotolo was raised in Huntington Beach, California, and began competing in jiujitsu at age 3. Ruotolo and his twin brother Tye were considered "grappling's first child-stars". ^[4] They trained at the Art of Jiu-Jitsu academy (AOJ) for 4 years under Guilherme and Rafael Mendes before switching to Atos Jiu-Jitsu in 2017, a team to which AOJ was affiliated. ^[4] Both Kade and his brother Tye were promoted to brown belts in BJJ by André Galvão in October 2020. ^[5] Ruotolo and his brother were promoted to black belt on December 14, 2021, by André Galvão. ^[4]

Grappling career

2020–2021

On November 29, 2020, Ruotolo competed at the Combat Jiu-Jitsu Lightweight World Championships and defeated four grapplers in one night to claim the title. ^[6] His buggy choke submission finish of PJ Barch in the final match was awarded 'Submission of the Year' at the Jitsmagazine 2020 BJJ Awards. ^[7]

Ruotolo then won the 77 kg division of the ADCC North American East Coast Trials on November 6, 2021, to claim an invite to the 2022 ADCC World Championship. ^[8] He was later awarded with 'Submission of the Year' at the Jitsmagazine 2021 BJJ Awards for his flying d'arce choke finish of Joshua Dawson in the second round of the tournament. ^[9] In preparation for the event, Ruotolo competed against Roberto Jimenez at Road to ADCC on July 17, 2021, and was submitted with a rear-naked choke. ^[10] Across the weekend of September 25–26, Ruotolo competed at the Who's Number One Championships and defeated three opponents to become the promotion's inaugural Lightweight champion. ^[11] At Grapplefest 10 on November 10, 2021, Ruotolo defeated Keith Krikorian by decision ^[12]

On March 25, 2021, Ruotolo and his brother both signed a contract with ONE Championship to compete in submission grappling and eventually make their MMA debut. ^[13] In his debut match at ONE 157, Ruotolo fought Shinya Aoki and won a unanimous decision. ^[14]

2022–2023

Competing in the 77 kilograms (170 lb) division at the 2022 ADCC World Championship, an event commonly referred to as the "Olympics of grappling", ^[15] Ruotolo became the youngest competitor to win gold, winning all fights by submission and notably submitting Micael Galvão in the final, the first grappler to do so in competition. ^[16]

On October 21, 2022, Ruotolo faced multiple-time Sambo World Champion Uali Kurzhev for the inaugural ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Championship at ONE on Prime Video 3. ^[17] After Kurzhev failed hydration twice, a catchweight of 174 lbs was established, four pounds heavier than initially intended, making Kurzhev ineligible for the belt. ^[18] Ruotolo submitted Kurzhev with a heel hook at the 4:26 mark of the 10-minute bout to win the title and become the first-ever ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion. ^[19]

Ruotolo defended his title against Matheus Gabriel on December 3, 2022, at ONE on Prime Video 5. ^[20] He won the match via unanimous decision. ^[21]

Ruotolo was booked to defend his ONE Championship lightweight title against Tommy Langaker at ONE Fight Night 11 on June 9, 2023. ^[22] He won the match by decision and retained the title. ^[23]

2024 onwards

Ruotolo's next title-defense was booked for ONE 165 on January 28, 2024, where he would face Tommy Langaker in a rematch. ^[24] He defeated Langaker by decision and retained his title. ^[25]

Ruotolo made his black belt IBJJF debut in a superfight against Natan Chueng at the IBJJF No Gi Absolute Grand Prix on February 29, 2024. ^[26] He won the match on points. ^[27] Ruotolo then competed at the IBJJF Dallas Open 2024 on March 10, winning a gold medal at medium-heavyweight and a bronze medal in the absolute division. ^[28]

Ruotolo faced Francisco Lo in a catchweight bout at 180lbs at ONE Fight Night 21 on April 5, 2024. ^[29] He won the match by submission with an arm-in rear-naked choke. ^[30]

Ruotolo was originally scheduled to compete in the 2024 ADCC World Championship, but both he and his brother Tye left the tournament in order to enter the -80 kg division of the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational on August 16–17, 2024. ^[31] He submitted Matheus Diniz in the opening round, defeated Tommy Langaker by decision in the quarter-final, defeated Andrew Tackett by decision in the semi-final, and defeated Levi Jones Leary by decision in the final to win the grand prize of $1,000,000. ^[32]

Ruotolo was scheduled to defend his ONE lightweight submission grappling title against the organization's flyweight submission grappling titleholder, Mikey Musumeci, on September 6, 2024, at ONE 168: Denver. ^[33] However, on September 1, it was announced that Ruotolo had withdrawn from the bout due to injury. ^[34]

Mixed martial arts career

Ruotolo announced his intention to transition to mixed martial arts early in 2023, ^[35] and the contract he signed to compete in grappling matches for ONE Championship also included provisions for MMA fights as well. ^[36] Both Kade and his brother Tye announced that they were going to make their professional mixed martial arts debuts before the end of 2023. ^[37] Although this didn't come to fruition, Ruotolo later confirmed that his professional debut would be in 2024. ^[38]

Ruotolo made his professional MMA debut against Blake Cooper at ONE 167 on June 8, 2024. ^[39] He won the fight by a rear-naked choke submission in the first round and earned the $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus. ^[40]

Ruotolo faced Ahmed Mujtaba at ONE 169 on November 9, 2024. ^[41] He won the fight by submission in the first round. ^[42]

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitive summary

Main Achievements: ^[4]

• 2024 Craig Jones Invitational under 80 kg champion
• ONE Submission Grappling World Champion (ONE Fight Night 3) (One time; current)(3 Defense)
• ADCC Submission Fighting World Champion (2022)
• Who's Number One (WNO) Champion (2021)
• GrappleFest 70KG Belt Holder (2020)
• EBI Combat Jiu-Jitsu Champion (2020) ^[6]
• 3rd place 3QG Kumite 5 GP (2020)

Main Achievements (Kids + Juvenile ^[4] ):

• IBJJF World Champion (2019)
• IBJJF Pan Champion (2019)
• IBJJF European Open Champion (2019 ^[a] )
• IBJJF Pan Kids Champion (2010 / 2014 / 2015 / 2017 / 2018)
• IBJJF Kids International Champion (2014 / 2016)
• IBJJF Kids American Nationals Champion (2014 / 2015)
• 2nd place IBJJF European Open (2019)
• 3rd place IBJJF Pan Championship (2019 ^[a] )

Awards

• Jitsmagazine BJJ Awards 'Submission of the Year' vs. Joshua Dawson at ADCC North American East Coast Trials (2021) ^[9]
• Jitsmagazine BJJ Awards 'Submission of the Year' vs. PJ Barch at Combat Jiu-Jitsu Lightweight World Championships (2020) ^[7]

Instructor lineage

Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr. → Helio Gracie → Rolls Gracie → Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti → Alexandre Paiva → Fernando "Tererê" Augusto → André Galvão → Kade Ruotolo

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown

2 matches	2 wins	0 losses
By submission	2	0

Res.	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Win	2–0	Ahmed Mutjaba	Submission (brabo choke)	ONE 169	November 9, 2024	1	1:04	Bangkok, Thailand	Performance of the Night.
Win	1–0	Blake Cooper	Submission (face crank)	ONE 167	June 8, 2024	1	3:20	Bangkok, Thailand	Welterweight debut. Performance of the Night.

Notes

1. Absolute

References

1. Rogers, Kian (December 14, 2021). "Kade And Tye Ruotolo Promoted To BJJ Black Belt". Jitsmagazine.com.
2. ADCC 2022 Highlights: Old Champs Dethroned, New Champs Crowned – Gordon Ryan Submits André Galvão Andrea Tang, Jiujitsu Times, September 18, 2022
3. "Kade Ruotolo Wins ONE Championship Lightweight Title". October 22, 2022.
4. "Kade Ruotolo". BJJ Heroes – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team History, Fighter Stats, Biographies and News. March 16, 2021.
5. "Ruotolo Brothers Both Promoted to Brown Belt". October 20, 2020.
6. "Combat Jiu Jitsu Lightweight World Championships Full Results". November 30, 2020.
7. "The Jitsmagazine 2020 BJJ Awards". January 2, 2021.
8. "ADCC North American East Coast Trials 2021 Full Results and Review". November 8, 2021.
9. "The Jitsmagazine 2021 BJJ Awards". January 2, 2022.
10. "The Road to ADCC Full Results and Review". July 18, 2021.
11. "WNO Championships Full Results and Review". September 27, 2021.
12. "Grapplefest 10 Full Results and Review". November 21, 2021.
13. "The Ruotolo Brothers Sign with ONE Championship for BJJ and MMA Debut". March 15, 2022.
14. "Ruotolo Brothers Win Big at ONE 157". May 20, 2022.
15. Coate, Ben (September 19, 2022). "Ruotolo Brothers Impress, Make History at 2022 ADCC World Championships; Canuto Beats Ryan". ONE Championship – The Home Of Martial Arts.
16. Ruotolo Brothers Impress, Make History at 2022 ADCC World Championships One FC, Ben Coate, September 20, 2022
17. Ben Coate (October 1, 2022). "Kade Ruotolo, Uali Kurzhev To Fight For Inaugural ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Title". ONE Championship. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
18. "John Lineker misses weight for ONE on Prime Video 3". South China Morning Post. October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
19. Beaupré, Drew (October 22, 2022). "Watch: Kade Ruotolo Wins ONE Grappling Title With Heel Hook". MMA News.
20. Ben Coate (November 11, 2022). "Kade Ruotolo To Defend Submission Grappling World Title Against Matheus Gabriel at ONE on Prime Video 5". ONE Championship – The Home of Martial Arts. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
21. Richards, Vince. "ONE on Prime Video 5 results: Kade Ruotolo vs Matheus Gabriel". sportskeeda.com. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
22. de Souza, Diogo (April 24, 2023). "Kade Ruotolo Defends Title Against Tommy Langaker at ONE Fight Night 11". JitsMagazine. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
23. "Kade Ruotolo And Tommy Langaker Put On Amazing Show at ONE Fight Night 11". Jitsmagazine. June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
24. Lindsey, Alex (January 4, 2024). "Kade Ruotolo and Tommy Langaker Rematch Booked For ONE 165". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
25. "Kade Ruotolo Retains Lightweight Title in Tommy Langaker Rematch at ONE 165". Jitsmagazine. January 28, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
26. Burne, Kathrine (February 24, 2024). "Kade Ruotolo Set To Make Black Belt IBJJF Debut Against Natan Chueng". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
27. "IBJJF No Gi Absolute Grand Prix 2024 Full Results And Review". Jitsmagazine. March 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
28. "Top Gi Competitors Feature Heavily in IBJJF Dallas Open 2024 Results". Jitsmagazine. March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
29. Phillips, Sabrina (March 15, 2024). "Kade Ruotolo To Meet Francisco Lo at ONE Fight Night 21". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
30. "Ruotolo Brothers Win With Same Rare Submission at ONE Fight Night 21". Jitsmagazine. April 6, 2024. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
31. de Souza, Diogo (June 19, 2024). "Both Ruotolo Brothers Leave ADCC 2024 To Join Craig Jones Invitational". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
32. "Craig Jones Invitational 2024 Live Results, Play-by-play, Analysis, Highlights, More". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
33. "Kade Ruotolo vs. Mikey Musumeci booked for ONE 168 in Denver – Grappling Insider". grapplinginsider.com. April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
34. "ONE 168 Loses Major Main Card Title Fight". si.com. September 1, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
35. Jones, Phil (December 9, 2022). "Kade Ruotolo Lays Out Plans For MMA Career". JitsMagazine. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
36. Lindsey, Alex (March 15, 2022). "The Ruotolo Brothers Sign With ONE Championship For BJJ And MMA Debut". JitsMagazine. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
37. Phillips, Sabrina (May 2, 2023). "Ruotolo Brothers Announce Plans For MMA Debut in 2023". JitsMagazine. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
38. Blackett, Todd (April 4, 2024). "Kade Ruotolo Reveals His MMA Debut Should Be Just Months Away". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
39. Burne, Kathrine (April 5, 2024). "Kade Ruotolo Set To Make MMA Debut at ONE 167". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
40. Admin (June 8, 2024). "Kade Ruotolo Dominates in MMA Debut at ONE 167". Jitsmagazine. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
41. Jones, Phil. "Kade Ruotolo Set For Second MMA Fight At ONE 169". Jits Magazine. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
42. "Kade Ruotolo Moves To 2-0 In MMA At ONE 169". Jits Magazine. Retrieved November 9, 2024.