"I'm excited to be part of the race too" - Tye Ruotolo teases MMA debut after masterful grappling win over Jozef Chen
After Kade Ruotolo made a rousing MMA debut last month, fans know it's only a matter of time before his twin brother Tye laces up the four-ounce gloves as well.
That possibility could become a reality sooner rather than later after the youngest IBJJF world champion teased about making the transition.
Shortly after Tye Ruotolo edged out Jozef Chen for a hard-fought unanimous decision win at ONE Fight Nigth 23 last Friday, the 21-year-old BJJ prodigy all but confirmed that he'll also take the plunge.
During his ONE Fight Night 23 post-event interview, Ruotolo admitted it felt like a dream come true seeing Kade win his first mixed martial arts fight against Blake Cooper.
"It was so rad to see [Kade in MMA]. We always grew up watching MMA fights, and we always knew that we wanted to be MMA fighters one day too. Not just [become] fighters but be the best."
The Atos standout also confirmed his desire to follow his brother to the MMA realm sometime before the year ends.
The ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion furthered:
"But an MMA fight, that's such a big thing for me, so I'm excited to be part of the race there too."
Tye Ruotolo wants to reach the pinnacle of submission grappling
While MMA is definitely in Tye Ruotolo's future, he's still keen on becoming the best BJJ athlete of all time.
The young prodigy once again showcased his world-class skills against gutsy opponent Jozef Chen and improved his undefeated ONE record to 7-0.
In the same interview, Ruotolo shared his ultimate dream:
"I'm happy to get this win in jiu-jitsu. One more for the legacy. My legacy is not done. I want to be the best in the world of jiu-jitsu. No questions, no matter what. I know I'm on my way. I think right now, we're probably considered the best, my brother and I, for sure. But I want to be pound-for-pound, the best in the world. So I'm not going to stop until I get that."
The replay of ONE Fight Night 23 is free on demand for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Here's Tye Ruotolo's interview in its entirety: