3 reasons why Kade Ruotolo would make a seamless transition to MMA

In case you haven’t heard, Brazilian jiu-jitsu savant Kade Ruotolo is expected to lace up the 4-ounce gloves sooner rather than later.

Fresh from his dominant ONE lightweight submission grappling world title defense against Tommy Langaker at ONE Fight Night 11, the 20-year-old made it clear he wants to transition to mixed martial arts before the year ends.

The Atos standout has not tasted defeat in four grappling-exclusive matches inside the circle and it will be interesting to see if he can carry the same level of success in MMA.

While we know Ruotolo will have the wrestling and jiu-jitsu aspects covered, it remains unclear just how his striking will hold up against more experienced opponents.

However, it would be foolish to question the youngest ADCC world champion’s chances, given how naturally talented he truly is.

That said, here are three reasons why Kade Ruotolo would make a seamless transition to MMA.

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#3. Ruotolo is a lifelong MMA fan and an astute student of the game

Jiu-jitsu and MMA, of course, will always go hand-in-hand. After all, MMA practically launched in the mainstream behind the efforts of BJJ specialist and now MMA icon Royce Gracie.

While Ruotolo was not even born yet during that time, he grew up watching the greats that paved the way before him. The 20-year-old focused on BJJ and built a career out of it, but is admittedly a lowkey MMA fanboy at heart.

He has a burning passion for the sport and can’t wait to get out there and showcase what he can do. The San Diego, California native is even welcoming the challenge of feeling like a white belt again, as he begins his journey as a complete martial artist.

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#2. Ruotolo has the inner fire to succeed

While the Ruotolo twins are notorious for being competitive as hell, it’s apparent that Kade is the fiery one compared to the mellow Tye.

In recent interviews, Tye revealed that his brother has always had that inner fire ever since they were little. As Tye revealed, it’s not unusual for Kade to throw leg kicks and other strikes at his training partners in between BJJ practices.

Plus, let’s not forget the heated back-and-forth he had with Langaker in the build-up to their match. This burning passion will certainly serve Ruotolo well in the unforgiving nature of MMA.

The feisty athlete even admits he would make his MMA debut in a heartbeat if given the choice.

If Ruotolo remains as fearless and technical as we’ve seen him on the mats, there’s no doubt he could also achieve great heights in his next venture.

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#1. Ruotolo has been training Muay Thai for a long time

Apart from grappling, surfing, and living the ‘Pura Vida’ lifestyle, not many know that the Ruotolos have been sharpening their hands since they were practically in diapers.

While grappling will always be number one in their hearts, Kade and Tye also mixes it up with some traditional Muay Thai training whenever they can.

Kade found himself training MMA more and more in recent years, and has already picked the brain of some of the best in the world. The young phenom has been hopping around MMA gyms to find his right fit but has already built a rapport with MMA veteran Cub Swanson.

After fighting in Thailand at Lumpinee Stadium earlier this month, Ruotolo also took the opportunity to train with Superbon at the newly established Superbon Training Camp in Bangkok.

By the looks of it, those kicks of his are getting sharper with each passing day.