On Saturday, July 17th, Kade Ruotolo fills in for Andrew Wiltse and takes on Roberto Jimenez.
Ruotolo is an 18-year-old brown belt prodigy under the legendary Andre Galvao. Jimenez is a 20-year-old black belt phenom under his father, Raul Jimenez.
Both young men have been tearing up the competition scene since they were little kids.
Who will win?
Last year, Roberto Jimenez beat both Kade and his twin brother Tye Ruotolo.… Will Ruotolo be able to avenge his loss, or will he fall short again? The action takes place this Saturday at FloGrappling’s Road To ADCC.
Let’s dive deeper to see how this match may play out.
Roberto Jimenez
- Record: 46-23-0
- Height: 6’0” | Weight: 88kg | Age: 20
- Wins: 21 SUB, 15 other, 4 points, 4 decisions,
- Losses: 11 SUB, 5 other, 3 points, 2 decisions, 1 OT, 1 DQ
- Noticeable Wins: Tye Ruotolo, Dante Leon, Nicky Rod, Vagner Rocha
- Noticeable Losses: Gordan Ryan, Craig Jones, Roberto Abreu, Mason Fowler
- Current Ranking: | Last match: Tanner Weisgram
Fighter’s Weaknesses:
Roberto Jimenez has slowly been positioning himself as a legitimate threat in the submission grappling circuit.
Jimenez takes on whoever, whenever at any weight class; it’s awe-inspiring.
That said, his main weakness, like many other competitors, is lower body submissions. Over the last two years, Robert Jimenez has lost five times via a lower body submission: toehold, inside heel hook, and ankle lock.
He’s working on his weakness, but that does not mean he will be able to remedy his deficiency quickly. So, if Kade Ruotolo wants to beat Jimenez, he better look for a heel hook victory that takes Jimenez’s ankle home as a souvenir.
Fighter’s Strengths:
What makes Roberto Jimenez so dangerous is his well-roundedness. Jimenez is a legitimate threat wherever the match goes. That said, Roberto Jimenez’s main strengths are back takes, just like Kade’s brother Tye.
If you watch Jimenez’s matches against the Ruotolo brothers, Dante Leon, Adam Smith, and Tanner Weisgram, he makes them expose their backs multiple times.
He’s a world-class tactician at sticking to his opponents like glue and making them carry his weight like a backpack.
Ultimately, Roberto Jimenez is already a fierce competitor who can attack legs, pass, play guard, etc.…
If you add Jimenez’s bread-and-butter specialty back takes into his array of skills, he becomes an adversary who always keeps you on your toes. Essentially, it allows him to keep his opponents guessing, which decreases their chances of escaping or countering his attacks.
The young man is a master at the art of misdirection with back takes as the deadliest skill in his arsenal. So, Kade Ruotolo better not take his eyes off him!
Kade Ruotolo
- Record: 8-3
- Height: 5’11” | Weight: 77kg | Age: 18
- Wins: 2 SUB, 3 decisions, 3 points,
- Losses: 3 SUB
- Noticeable Wins: Ethan Crelinsten, Cole Franson, Ashley Williams
- Noticeable Losses: Roberto Jimenez, Nicky Ryan
- Current Ranking: | Last match: Cole Franson
Fighter’s Weaknesses:
Kade Ruotolo is a talented young stalwart.
During his last match against Cole Franson, he secured the submission victory with a “low percentage” buggy choke. In other words, at the highest level of the sports— the chances of successfully hitting that move are slim.
Kudos to Ruotolo!
That said, Ruotolo’s main weakness is the same as his brother Tye’s. He lacks experience competing at the highest levels against larger opponents.
Experience is a variable that is hard to measure in combat sports, but you can argue experience is a good indicator of whether someone will win or lose. In Ruotolo’s case, because of his “youth,” he does not have many hours in the absolute division against the heavyweights…. Jimenez does.
Roberto Jimenez takes on opponents ranging from 70 kilos to 99+. That’s the way he likes it. He’s used to battling these giants and his body is probably used to their weight. When he jumps down two weight classes against an opponent like Ruotolo, he may be able to crush him with strength alone.
When you are used to running with a weighted vest and then take said vest off, running becomes easier. Likewise, if you are used to battling heavyweights, matches with smaller guys become easier.
Does Kade Ruotolo stand a chance against Roberto Jimenez?
Fighter’s Strengths:
Kade Ruotolo is a generational talent who is dynamic and versatile. He’s adaptable like a chameleon. However, Ruotolo’s main strengths are his dynamic wrestling, Darce chokes, and passing sequences.
If you watch Kade Ruotolo’s matches against Ethan Crelinsten and Cole Franson, he comes out hard and pushes the pace with his ATOS-style hand fighting.
He never lets his opponents rest on their laurels and constantly blitzes them with athletic, unreadable movements.
Ultimately, relying on his long velociraptor-like arms to secure his submission victories… Roberto Jimenez needs to watch out for Kade Ruotolo’s Darce chokes because if he catches it— the match will be over.
That’s how good Kade Ruotolo is… at the young age of 18, he is already a force to be reckoned with.
Roberto Jimenez Will Win This Match
I expect a considerable feeling-out process on the feet, but I do think the key to victory for Roberto Jimenez will be his back takes. Roberto Jimenez has choked out Kade Ruotolo in the past and he can do it again.
While both competitor’s styles match up, and both have high submission rates and very few submission losses, Jimenez’s bread and butter back take will do most of the work for him.
Because Ruotolo is such a fierce competitor, Jimenez may not be able to make it look “buttery” and smooth but a submission victory is a victory— even if it lacks aesthetic appeal.
Ultimately, Roberto Jimenez will be able to neutralize Kade Ruotolo. That’s my prediction, what’s yours?
