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Tye Ruotolo, a 21-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu phenom, never imagined he could make a living from his passion. But times have changed, and promotions like ONE Championship and the Craig Jones Invitational are offering life-changing prizes. Ruotolo praises the opportunities that have arisen, allowing him and his brother Kade to compete and earn substantial amounts.
In an interview, Ruotolo expressed gratitude to his parents for their sacrifices and investment in his jiu-jitsu career. He highlighted the significant shift in the sport's financial landscape, citing the $1 million grand prize at the Craig Jones Invitational and ONE Championship's lucrative contracts.
"My parents put their lives into us with Kade and I growing up in jiu-jitsu, and there was no money in it whatsoever... Nowadays, I just thank my parents so much for investing everything that they had." - Tye Ruotolo
"ONE Championship is paying us the most we've ever been paid in our whole lives... It's growing so wildly. Everything that ONE's doing, the platform that we have to compete on, jiu-jitsu has never seen it before." - Tye Ruotolo
Ruotolo is set to compete in a grappling match at ONE Fight Night 23 and plans to transition to MMA by the end of the year, following in his brother's footsteps. He acknowledges the aggressive style he and Kade share, which will serve them well in MMA.
The Ruotolo brothers' decision to join the Craig Jones Invitational over ADCC reflects the changing landscape. Tye Ruotolo emphasized the importance of financial opportunities, stating,
"You love what you do, you never work a day in your life. I'm stoked to do what I love."
As jiu-jitsu continues to grow, Ruotolo is excited to be part of this groundbreaking era, competing alongside fighters from various martial arts disciplines. With a championship contract and substantial earnings, Ruotolo is living his dream, and the future looks bright for this young grappler.
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