Kade Ruotolo says Tye is the true innovator of the ‘Ruotolo-tine’ choke: “He does it to me all the time”
ONE lightweight submission grappling champion Kade Ruotolo said it was his twin brother and fellow champion Tye who was the innovator of the 'Ruotolo-tine' choke they displayed in their separate fights recently.
The 21-year-old Atos standout defeated Brazilian Francisco Lo at ONE Fight Night 21 on April 5 in Thailand. He won by submission midway into their 10-minute catchweight (180 pounds) grappling showdown.
Ruotolo pulled off the slick Ruotolo-tine choke, a hybrid move combining facets of a rear-naked choke and arm-triangle choke, to score the impressive win.
In an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, the American grappling ace spoke of the background for the innovative move, saying:
"He's [Tye] the one who showed me it, and he does it to me all the time. So I knew he absolutely had the potential to do it."
Watch the interview below:
The same move was also used by Tye Ruotolo in successfully defending the ONE welterweight submission grappling world title at ONE Fight Night 21 over Australian challenger Izaak Michell.
The replay of ONE Fight Night 21 is available for North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Kade Ruotolo stoked to finally make MMA debut later this year
The 'Ruotolo-tine' choke that Kade Ruotolo used recently could be on display again when he makes his MMA debut later this year.
After some time preparing for his foray into the multifaceted sport of mixed martial arts, the 21-year-old grappling ace said he is excited to finally make it happen.
The venue will be ONE 167: Stamp vs. Zamboanga on June 7 at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. He will be going up against fellow American fighter Blake Cooper.
Speaking during the post-event press conference following his latest submission grappling triumph at ONE Fight Night 21 on April 5, Kade Ruotolo spoke about his long-anticipated MMA debut, saying:
"It's gonna be an absolutely massive matchup. I've just been anticipating this is so much, my MMA debut. It's something that I really wanted to be doing. I'm so stoked that it's finally happening. Finally."
See the interview below:
By plunging into MMA, Ruotolo said he hopes to showcase his expanded skill set while at the same grow as a fighter.