Tye Ruotolo

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu MMA Welterweight Submission Grappling (81.6 kg); active in MMA

As a teenager, Tye Ruotolo was already among the absolute elite of the no-gi grappling world and went on to become the first welterweight submission grappling champion in ONE Championship history. He is now expanding his dominance into the MMA cage, where he remains undefeated.

Profile

The story

Tye Ruotolo was born on Maui, Hawaii, and grew up with his twin brother Kade in Huntington Beach, California. They began practicing jiu-jitsu at the age of three and initially trained at Art of Jiu-Jitsu under Guilherme and Rafael Mendes before moving to Atos Jiu-Jitsu under André Galvão in 2017.

In 2019, at sixteen, Tye became the youngest competitor ever at the ADCC tournament. He went on to become an IBJJF world champion and made a name for himself at ONE Championship with a victory over Garry Tonon. In November 2023, he became the first ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion.

Starting in 2025, Ruotolo also moved into MMA. He made his debut with a submission victory over Adrian Lee and remained undefeated thereafter. In March 2026, he defended his grappling title against Pawel Jaworski.

In the ring

Fighting style

An aggressive, attacking no-gi grappler who keeps the pace high and constantly pressures opponents with scrambles, back takes, and chokes such as the guillotine and rear-naked choke. In MMA, he shows the same submission threat, complemented by a rapidly expanding striking arsenal.

Results

Performance

First and reigning ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion, with multiple successful title defenses; youngest-ever ADCC competitor in 2019; IBJJF World Champion; currently undefeated in both submission grappling in ONE Championship and his burgeoning MMA career.

Over the years

Timeline

2003: Born in Maui, Hawaii; grows up in Huntington Beach, California.

2006: Starts jiu-jitsu with his twin brother Kade at the age of three.

2017: Switches to Atos Jiu-Jitsu with Kade.

2019: Becomes the youngest-ever ADCC competitor and takes fourth place.

2021: Receives his black belt from André Galvão.

2022: Makes his ONE Championship debut with a victory over Garry Tonon.

November 2023: Becomes the first ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion by defeating Magomed Abdulkadirov.

September 2025: Makes his MMA debut with a submission victory over Adrian Lee at ONE Fight Night 35.

November 2025: Remains undefeated in MMA with a quick finish against Shozo Isojima at ONE 173.

March 2026: Defends his grappling title with a hard-fought victory over Pawel Jaworski at ONE Fight Night 41.

Influence

Legacy

Together with his brother Kade, Tye Ruotolo has taken no-gi grappling from a niche sport to a mainstream combat sports discipline, showing that grappling specialists can also successfully transition to MMA. As the first welterweight submission grappling champion at ONE Championship, his name is at the foundation of an entirely new division.