“It’s kinda the same feeling” - Kade Ruotolo compares getting BJJ black belt to earning Master’s Degree

Reigning and undisputed ONE lightweight submission grappling world champion Kade Ruotolo of the United States, along with twin brother Tye Ruotolo, the ONE welterweight submission grappling king, is one of the youngest black belts in the history of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Earning the accolade under legendary Andre Galvao at the age of 18, Ruotolo has achieved more than any man his age has accomplished in the sport.

Speaking to FloGrappling in a recent interview, Ruotolo compared earning a black belt in jiu-jitsu to getting a Master's Degree in college.

The 21-year-old American superstar said:

"For non jiu-jitsu athletes, what the black belt means, to explain it to someone, you can compare it to almost getting your masters in whatever you’re studying or like a degree. It’s kinda the same feeling."

Kade Ruotolo is set to defend his ONE lightweight submission grappling world title against flyweight king 'Darth Rigatoni' Mikey Musumeci.

The two lock horns at ONE 168: Denver, in ONE Championship's highly anticipated return to U.S. soil.

The event broadcasts live from the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, on Friday, September 6th.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and absolutely free on Amazon Prime Video.

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Kade Ruotolo on what makes him such a dangerous fighter: "I don’t have a lot of fear in me"

21-year-old BJJ phenom Kade Ruotolo recently made the switch from grappling to mixed martial arts. And he showcased some amazing fighting skills.

Ruotolo recently revealed in an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, the secret to his success. He said:

"Absolutely, I’m super happy with my team. That was what made this debut take so long was mentally I just wanted to fight already. I have a lot fight in me, I don’t have a lot of fear in me, you know. I’m always excited and ready to go, but the thing is I never had a solid team behind me."