Most of us have that one true good friend that at all times has our again, and others have a detailed sibling who share a powerful household connection, however solely a choose few members of the inhabitants have a twin that’s experiencing the identical ups and downs as we’re, in actual time. For the Ruotolo Twins Kade and Tye, their bond couldn’t be extra unbreakable.
Since hitting the Brazilian jiujitsu mat collectively on the age of three, the dynamic duo is now dominating the grappling scene in ONE Championship. So, with maybe an important matches of each their respective careers simply days away, the boys say down with M&F to open up on life as a twin their ideas forward of ONE Combat Night time 21.
Born in Maui, HI, of Italian and Puerto Rican heritage, the twins grew up in Huntington Seaside, California, the place they had been enrolled into jiu-jitsu courses by their father. “We’ve been doing it since earlier than we are able to even keep in mind,” says Kade who’s now the ONE Light-weight Submission World Champion and is undefeated there with 5 victories thus far. “Our dad, on the time was a blue belt,” explains Tye, who holds ONE’s Welterweight Submission World Championship. As you possibly can think about, the race for each brothers to realize that preliminary black belt was intense.
“As a lot as we hate to confess it, we’re just about simply clones of one another,” jokes Kade (he has the longer hair). “In the best way that we now have gotten all of our belts collectively, even all of our stripes collectively. I don’t assume there’s a stripe, and even one promotion that I’ve bought on a unique day to my brother.”
Tye remembers that the competitiveness between them was at all times so sturdy that though they might at all times each get promoted on the identical day, Kade would get referred to as up first, so when it grew to become time to obtain the black belt, Tye put his hand up first, to lastly get forward of his bro. (They bought their black belts on the age of 18.)
In fact, it’s in all probability for the very best that these good brothers obtain nice issues on the similar time or their relationship might need a very totally different dynamic. In the event that they weren’t twins, would the Ruotolo Twins every stand earlier than us because the fighters that they’re at this time? “No method,” says Tye. “Not even shut,” says Kade.
Elite Athletes Like The Ruotolo Twins Require a Trusted Assist System
Kade feels that every one athletes want a help system, twins or not. “The one different factor that may examine near having a twin … is (having) a extremely finest good friend who can also be a teammate in no matter sport that you just do. You probably have a extremely stable teammate, that’s mainly like a brother to you.”
Like all brothers, they’ve their very own ups and downs with one another. The Ruotolo’s clarify to me that their very own dynamic is continually shifting so far as who’s perceived because the dominant or ‘older’ brother. “We nonetheless undergo that pendulum shift right here and there,” shares Tye. “We at all times hold one another in examine.”
“It’s powerful love, loads of the time,” provides Kade. When one bro is sore and doesn’t need to face one other day of coaching, the opposite bro pulls them up and motivates them to proceed. Kade admits that’s sucks at time, as a result of he is aware of his brother is telling him precisely what he wants to listen to, however that’s how champions just like the Ruotolo’s roll. “Its not at all times what you need to hear, however what you’ll want to hear,” explains Kade. It’s this shared perspective that helps to clarify the insane checklist of accolades that already lie on the twins’ 4 toes. Tye is at the moment the youngest IBJJF World champion within the historical past of the game whereas Kade is an IBJJF World, Pan Am, and European Open champion. Having signed with ONE Championship, the boys say they’re now in a position to help themselves financially, one thing that’s notoriously troublesome on this sport, plus they can deal with one explicit rule set, that means much less adjustment from competitors to competitors.
Champions Should Have Supreme Confidence in Themselves
The brothers agree that their dad and mom early and unwavering religion in them has helped to make these boys the lads that we see earlier than us at this time. From a younger age, the Ruotolo twins had been advised that they had been unstoppable. “Though we had been little youngsters, simply beginning off, we genuinely thought ‘okay, we’re the very best then.’” shares Kade. “Each time we’d go to a comp, we’d go searching and see the hundred different youngsters, ‘like, alright, we’re the very best,’” concurs Tye.
Removed from cocky, the twins are heat and straightforward to speak to. It’s arduous to think about that they might tear this interviewer limb from limb as soon as the bell rings. Luckily, the requirement to show themselves as the very best received’t be examined by me. True competitors will come knocking days away at ONE Combat Night time 21. This would be the first time that the twins have appeared on the identical card since their ONE debuts in 2022.
Curiously, and considerably out of the norm for twins, the 2 warriors combat in several weight divisions. “We had been at all times about the identical weight, our complete lives,” says Tye. “Up till ADCC 2019, and I lower about 27 kilos on the time. I used to be solely 16, I didn’t have a lot weight to lose. I ended up doing it however at a value, to say the least. After (the ADCC) I gained like 40 kilos in two days or three days (laughs), and ever since, I’ve been about 5 or 10 kilos heavier than Kade.”
Tye will probably be defending his welterweight submission grappling world title in opposition to Izaak Michell at Combat Night time 21. “Izaak Michell, you understand he’s a troublesome man,” says the champ. “He’s a beast for certain. I do know he’s bought good wrestling. I like to wrestle, you understand? So, its gonna be a barnburner. I do know he needs to scrap, and I like scrapping, so it’s on.”
Kade will probably be examined in a catchweight bout in opposition to Brazil’s Francisco Lo. “Very difficult man, has some huge wins,” he explains. “Completed just lately some high-rank guys like Jacob Sofa, and another powerful guys, so once more, has some very slick submissions, so I gotta hold my ‘A’ sport sturdy and keep alert and discover his weaknesses.”
The Ruotolo Twins are additionally enormous MMA followers. Anticipate one or each brothers to make an announcement very quickly about the opportunity of entering into that area. “It’s on the bucket checklist, and we have to examine it off,” says Tye. For now, ONE Combat Night time 21 is all consuming, however they’re additionally trying ahead to finishing a brand new fitness center in Costa Rica the place they hope to supply jiu-jitsu coaching camps that additionally provide yoga, browsing, and an opportunity to benefit from the hotter local weather. For these athletes, the prospect to spend a while within the solar and meet with family and friends is simply as rewarding as dominating their respective grappling divisions. Proper now, they’re reaching each desires.
Kade and Tye Ruotolo will each compete at ONE Combat Night time 21 this Friday, April 5. The occasion will air stay on Prime Video within the U.S./Canada starting at 8pm ET.
For more information on the Ruotolo Twins click on right here!
