Tye Ruotolo fights under the banner of Andre Galvao‘s Atos Academy and is a twin brother of another high-level BJJ expert, Kade. Of course, the two brothers train in the same dojo and are some of the most famous twins in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The two have been pretty much in the public eye since the age of 10.

Tye Ruotolo is well-known for excellent scrambles, top control, and unorthodox finishes. Some BJJ fighters like playing while lying on their back. But believe me, you don’t want Tye Ruotolo on top of you. He has better control than some UFC stars!

This essay will inform you about some BJJ facts about Tye Ruotolo that you may not be aware of. As a result, it will emphasize Tye’s tournament accomplishments, his most extraordinary grappling techniques, and other remarkable things.

Tye Ruotolo Was Born In Maui, Hawaii

Tye Ruotolo came to this world in January 2003. He is of Italian and Puerto Rican descent, and his family moved to California as an infant, which significantly affected the development of his BJJ career.

Ruotolo’s bros have been on the mats since the age of 3. They made their first grappling steps in Cleber Luciano school in 2006.

Ruotolo Is Young, But His Level of Experience Rocks

Many fighters and analysts judge the book by its cover, but calling Tye Ruotolo “an inexperienced kid” could be the worst mistake of your life. This guy has trained actively for 16 years; BJJ is all he knows in his life.

Ruotolo participated in high-level combats, and I have never seen him gassing. His cardio is on point, while his transition from defense to offense is one of the best. He is powerful from every position but keeps the top position better than heavyweight mat warriors.

Ruotolo Competes at -76 Kg Weight Class

Ruotolo is a lightweight competitor, but he’s brave enough to test his skills against some of the greatest names in all weight classes. This is not just an act of an insane kid. He’s very powerful, skillful, and faster than the rest of the opposition. Plus, there’s something more on Tye’s end – an unbelievable fight IQ.

This guy reminds the grappling family of Dagestani wrestlers on the top. When he gets a hold of you or ends up in a dominant position, it is hard to slip out of it. Sometimes I wonder whether this guy has Sambo or maybe submission wrestling background!

Tye Ruotolo Has a Severe Top Control

When a BJJ guy gets on top of you, he mostly goes for a submission attempt or tries to improve to side control or some better position. Yet, Ruotolo mauls his opponents on the top, stays in the dominant position, and doesn’t hurry with submission attempts.

He fights like a master of many martial arts, as most BJJ athletes don’t like spending much time on the top. In BJJ, being on your back means more excellent chances to win the fight.

But watch this young Californian gun, and you’ll see how easy it looks when he destroys all kinds of opponents via domination of the top. He put this game aspect to the next level despite never having Greco-Roman wrestling experience! This has a historical meaning for BJJ, mainly thanks to Ruotolo’s age!

Ruotolo’s Father Was an Avid Grappler Himself

It is easier to succeed when you have the support of your family. In martial arts, most athletes deal with misunderstandings, dramas, arguments, and non-approval from their parents, who are scared for their children.

Yet, the Ruotolo brothers got their father’s support from day one because their Dad is an avid, diehard grappling fan who enjoys spending time on the mat and watching competitions!

Tye Ruotolo Is an Outlier in the BJJ World

Tye has competed in BJJ tournaments since his mid-teenage and holds victories over some legends of the sport, making him a unique jiu-jitsu competitor.

You rarely see fighters step to compete against the better and older fighters in such an early stage of their career. Yet, here are some shocking facts about this young but arguably, legendary name in BJJ.

You must know something about Tye Ruotolo’s belt promotions:

– April 5, 2018, blue belt (15 years old);

– December 27, 2019, purple belt (16 years old);

– October 19, 2020, brown belt (17 years old);

– December 14, 2021, black belt (18 years old).

How about this? The guy was getting a promotion every year! Do you even know how many fighters change belts so quickly? This guy is a brutal talent and has some of the greatest fight IQs on the mats!

Let me ask you a question – do you know how hard it is to defeat Vagner Rocha? Ruotolo controlled him on the mats; this bout looked like a game of cat and mouse.

Do you remember his victory over another young gun and superb grappling phenom, Nicky Ryan? Yes, it was a decisive victory, but do you even know Ryan’s skillset? It is almost impossible to hold this guy in control, but Tye’s top control was simply out of this world!

Ruotolo Likes to Pull Guard and Change Positions

Source: Takedown Breakdown

Did you think Ruotolo only tries to stay on the top? Well, you’re mistaken… He will see how the fight develops; some of his opponents are simply too good off the back; there is no way Ruotolo will risk that much.

He is also very good at dragging the bout to the canvas, changing positions, and finishing the opponent via D’Arce choke (his favorite submission). He also masters all kinds of sweeps, scrambles, and transitions.

This guy simply adjusts in the split of a second, sometimes you have a feeling he simply knows what you are gonna do!

Tye Ruotolo Lost Via Submission Only Once

This young gun lost 5 times throughout his career. It happened against Kennedy Maciel in 2019. He was also losing via decision to high-level opponents.

For example, Craig Jones struggled with superb transition defenses and not letting Tye stay on the Although top. Although Jones came well prepared for this bout, it looked like he was able to anticipate every single move!

Ruotolo Won the IBJJF World Championship in 2019 and 2021 as a Brown Belt

Source: IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation)

It is never easy to outsmart all the great belts all around the globe. Even at 16, Tye Ruotolo showed his superb skills against some of the best guys on the mats.

Tye Won the Bronze Medal at the ADCC World Championship

The ADCC World Championship is a prestigious grappling tournament for a reason. Every two years, it brings together the best of the best grapplers. As a result, many tough wrestlers, such as Tye, try to demonstrate their abilities and defeat the best competitors.

For example, in his first successful ADCC run in 2019, this guy defeated Bruno Frazatto and Pablo Mantovani; what a great success by an elite-level Californian BJJ young gun!

Moreover, Tye Ruotolo has proven his dominance in the ADCC World Championship 2022 by winning the bronze medal in the absolute division by defeating Roberto Cyborg Abreu.

Conclusion

Tye Ruotolo is a revolutionary name in the world of BJJ, alongside his brother Kade. He is one of the rare BJJ specialists with brutal top control and a real example of the syntax “practice and persistence make perfect.”

Here is the list of his most outstanding achievements:

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place WNO Championship (2021)
• 2nd Place 3QG Kumite 5 GP (2020)
• 3rd Place ADCC World Championship (2022*)
• 4th Place ADCC World Championship (2019)

Main Achievements (Kids + Juvenile):

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2019, 2021 brown belt)
• 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2019)
• 1st Place IBJJF Pan Kids Championship (2011 / 2013 / 2015 / 2017)
• 1st Place IBJJF Kids International Championship (2014 / 2016)
• 1st Place IBJJF Kids American Nationals (2015)
• 2nd Place IBJJF European Open (2019*)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Kids Championship (2018)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Kids Championship (2010)

* Absolute

** Weight and Absolute

Ruotolo is only 19 years old at the moment, so his career is going to get better and better. What do you think? How many tournaments will Tye and his brother Kade conquer? Their careers have just started!

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