Tye Ruotolo is set to defend his ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title at ONE Fight Night 31. The Atos BJJ athlete will face Dante Leon in a highly anticipated match at the ONE Championship event taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 2. This title defense also signifies Ruotolo’s comeback following an injury.
“This was the most significant injury I’ve experienced in jiu-jitsu. I’ve had some knee ligament tears before, but nothing compares to the severity and extent of damage I faced this last time. Fortunately, I avoided surgery, and I was really happy about that. My body healed after a couple of months, and I’ve been working on strengthening my knee and preparing for competition over the last six months – it’s been the longest I’ve ever been out of competition and off the mats,” Tye Ruotolo explained to ONE.
Tye Ruotolo Discusses His Recovery Journey
Used to a lifestyle filled with constant activity, the American grappling star found it challenging to stay inactive during his recovery. During this time, he honed his mental focus to establish a reference point for how his knee felt when it was fully healthy.
“Being stuck on the couch really sucks – there’s nothing to do. I ended up playing Fortnite and gaming to keep myself entertained. I had to leave the house, take walks, and rebuild my trust in my knee. After the injury, I mentally noted how my knee felt when it was in good shape, so I could compare that feeling during my recovery. Now, I’m back to that point, which makes me happy,” Ruotolo shared.
Even though he couldn’t compete himself, Ruotolo stayed engaged in the sport by coaching his brother, Kade. While Kade found success in mixed martial arts, it was hard for Tye to watch his brother compete while he was on the sidelines.
“The hardest part was seeing [Kade] fight in MMA. It made me really eager to compete too. However, it was also nice to be in the coaching position without the stress of competing. Typically, we would compete on the same night, so being fully in coach mode these past six months was kind of cool. But of course, I always want to fight alongside him,” the Atos BJJ athlete remarked.
Tye Ruotolo Adopts a New Healthy Diet for the Upcoming Fight
Tye Ruotolo’s time off provided him with valuable insights into nutrition as a professional athlete. With his title defense approaching, he is implementing his new dietary regimen during training camp to aid recovery and preparation.
“I learned that nutrition plays a crucial role. I was never particularly strict with my diet and had a poor relationship with food, especially with weight cuts. The typical American diet isn’t the healthiest, so I’ve consumed too much unhealthy food throughout the years,” Ruotolo explained. “I realized that injuries also affect inflammation and recovery, so I focused on my diet and took each day as it came. When you’re injured, it’s easy to worry about how long recovery will take and what you can’t control about the future,” he concluded.
ONE Fight Night 31 will be streamed live on Prime Video on May 2, with the event beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. It will be available for free to all Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.
