“You’re always in like a constant competition” - Tye Ruotolo on how he and his brother Kade push each other

Tye Ruotolo knows he can never take things easy when he knows he’s living under the same roof as a ONE world champion.

The 20-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard detailed how he and his twin brother Kade would push each other to be the best versions of themselves. These interactions often led to them antagonizing each other in training.

There’s also the fact that Kade is the reigning ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion, while Tye is just a win away from his first ONE Championship gold.

Tye will face Russian grappling juggernaut Magomed Abdulkadirov in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 16 for the inaugural ONE welterweight submission grappling world title. The event is set to take place on November 3 at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

Heading into the biggest match of his career, Tye told The MMA Superfan he and his brother would always one-up each other.

Tye said:

“Because in the competition, that’s what you need to do sometimes, right? Sometimes a lot of it is up here, a lot of it is mental, and the one who wins is the one who has more alpha in him. So my brother and I are always trying to alpha each other. You know it's pretty funny, you're always in like a constant competition, keeping each other in check.”

The Ruotolo brothers are two of the most successful BJJ artists of their generation and already possess two of the sport's most prestigious world titles.

Kade, apart from his ONE world title, holds an ADCC world championship, while Tye has one from the IBJJF.

Tye, however, still needs that ONE world title if he plans to truly cement his legacy in submission grappling.

If Tye beats Abdulkadirov in Bangkok, he and Kade will be the second pair of siblings to simultaneously hold ONE world titles after Angela and Christian Lee.

Angela, who recently retired this September, was the inaugural ONE women’s atomweight MMA world champion. Meanwhile, Christian is the reigning ONE lightweight and welterweight MMA world champion.

ONE Fight Night 16 is available live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.

Watch Tye's entire interview below: