Cade Ruotolo, a Jiu Jitsu expert who just competed in his first mixed martial arts bout, is bringing his fighting talents to the Craig Jones Invitational.
Ruotolo confirmed the news in a recent edition. MMA Hour He will be competing alongside his brother Tai in the new CJI tournament that will replace the ADCC Championships on August 16th and 17th. This is a big move for the jiu-jitsu world, and one that the Ruotros brothers did not take lightly.
“It was a very difficult decision for me and my brother,” Ruotolo said. “We were torn between the ADCC and the new CJI. So we were really torn in both directions and decided to go with the CJI.
“There are several reasons [why we chose to go there]It wasn't just one thing. My brother and I decided it together. There were a few reasons. First, a million dollars is a million dollars. [that’s] There's just too much money involved. ADCC has been getting accolades and fame but with the arrival of this new CJI, many strong competitors, many great names have already left the division and moved on to the next one.
“The other thing is that me and my brother will be competing in the same division, but on opposite sides. So he'll be on one side of the bracket and I'll be on the other side. So, if all goes well, we'll meet in the finals and we'll have a great match there.”
Earlier this month, in his MMA debut at ONE 167, the youngest ever ADCC champion submitted Blake Cooper in the first round. Ultimately, Ruotolo wants to give MMA his all and see how far he can go.
Before that, and after winning the ADCC tournament, Ruotolo is looking to get some money in the bank, and at CJI he has a chance to get even more.
“ADCC is the most prestigious no-gi tournament since it began,” Ruotolo said. “I wouldn't say they're in trouble, but seeing a lot of players moving to CJI, I think they should listen to the players. [and] The obvious reason is because you go to ADCC, you win a gold medal, you win all the wars, and the winner's prize is only $10,000.
“The prize for Chief Justice is $11,000 and of course the first prize is $1 million. If you're rich, it's no big deal. We all want the honor and the title, but most of us aren't rich. We're all trying to be first-generation millionaires. … From an economic standpoint, it really makes sense to do this.”
