Tye Ruotolo is considered one of the greatest grapplers of his generation, but he believes that he’s only treading the path laid out for him.

On U.S. primetime on Friday, April 5, the 21-year-old will defend the ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title against Australian standout Izaak Michell in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 21: Eersel vs. Nicolas inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Tye Ruotolo explains his life growing up as a child prodigy

Ruotolo and his twin brother, Kade, started their jiu-jitsu journey at a young age and were both well-known in the sport years before they joined the world’s largest martial arts organization in 2022.

The pair claimed accolades never before achieved by anyone of their age. And with each one, expectations only grew for them.

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Speaking to ONE Championship, the Atos representative said that he has embraced his life as a globally recognized star, along with any stress that comes with it.

“Of course, there’s always been pressure. We’ve just been doing it since such a young age that it’s part of our lives. It’s not even like we have an option. I don’t feel like I can just stop doing it – it’s just my identity. It’s just like who I am, right?” ” Ruotolo said.

As much as jiu-jitsu is a part of the twin brothers’ lives, it is not the only interest that Tye pursues daily.

However, combat sports make up a significant part of his identity. As such, he always strives for excellence, as he believes that what he does on the mats is a testament to what he does before he steps onto them.

“Sure, I do other things. I surf, I got my other parts, but jiu-jitsu is what I do. So every time I compete, that’s huge. It’s huge to me because that’s who I am. You know, if I lose that, it’s a reflection of how I’ve how I’ve probably prepared,” Ruotolo said.

At ONE Fight Night 21, the Californian will once again be expected to overcome a tough challenge in Michell in his first World Title defense.

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Ruotolo’s mindset going into the fight against Izaak Michell

All eyes may be on him to perform, but Ruotolo says he isn’t fazed. Instead, he is treating his match as any person would when they go to a job.

“The same way that I guess someone would make sure they have to show up to work every day, it’s the same way,” he said.

“Like when I go to compete, I have to. I don’t have an option. You know, that’s my job. I can’t quit. I’m a jiu-jitsu fighter, you know? That’s what I’ve spent my whole life doing.”

ONE Fight Night 21 will be headlined by Regian Eersel defending his ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Championship against Alexis Nicolas and will be broadcast live and for free on Prime Video for fans across North America with an active Amazon subscription.

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