Atos competitors Tye Ruotolo and Kaynan Duarte stole the show at Flograppling’s newest promotion, Who’s Number One, securing the only two submission victories on the entire card. Both athletes represented Atos’ motto to innovate jiujitsu, and showed us that you can definitely win and still learn. Let’s take a look at the matches:
Tye Ruotolo Shows Off New Tricks
Although “just” a brown belt, Tye has been besting black belts for a while now. He has even earned the number 3 Flograppling ranking in the 170 pound no-gi division. Many anticipated a back and forth match between Tye and his opponent, Kody Steele, a black belt out of Brazilian Fight Factory since they are both are self-proclaimed “scrappers”. Instead, Tye was able to completely overwhelm his opponent and control the match from beginning to end. He continued to show off well-established techniques, like his leg-pin passing that he and his brother, Kade, have been developing for years. But, when he couldn’t create the space to secure his favorite darce choke he took to the feet and scored his first heel hook victory in competition.
Atos has adopted the motto “Innovating jiu-jitsu. Transforming lives”. This recent growth for the already successful Ruotolo is evidence of that motto in action. At only 17 Tye is not only contributing to the evolution of jiu-jitsu by developing his own techniques, but expanding his game to encompass and surpass current trends. In post-fight interviews Professor Galvao emphasized Atos’ continuous evolution to stay ahead of modern, competitive jiu-jitsu, “[Tye] has improved a lot on the foot attacks, heel hooks, and knee bars. All of us have evolved a lot in this aspect. We try to become better in every single rule set”.
Kaynan Duarte Stuns A Legend
In his prime of jiu-jitsu Rodolfo was notoriously difficult to beat, much less submit. The last time he tapped was in 2011 at ADCC against Dean Lister. So, even though Kaynan came to the mat the favorite against living legend, Rodolfo Vieira, few suspected it would be over in just two and a half minutes. Kaynan was able to duck under and attack the back early on.
Professor Galvao instills priorities of grappling in his students. One of the most important lessons he shares is that once you get to a good position you don’t lose it. Kaynan executed this mindset impeccably. Once he secured Rodolfo’s back he was able to maintain control until sinking in a match-ending, rear-naked choke. This submission makes Kaynan the second person to submit Rodolfo in a grappling match, and also the second person to defeat him on multiple occasions.
What makes Kaynan a different breed in grappling is not only his technique, but also his mindset, says Professor Galvao, “Kaynan got that click in the mindset where he has the aggressiveness, but at the same time the flow. You can tell he’s very comfortable when he’s fighting. He makes it look easy”.
Even though he’s still a young black belt, early on in his career Kaynan has already won nearly every IBJJF title there is to claim, Spyder, ADCC, and now Who’s Number One. But there’s still more to achieve for the Flograppling ranked number one 205-pounder, “I want to win absolute at ADCC, and improve my submission rate,” Kaynan tells Flograppling. The best are always innovating, always evolving, and always learning.