In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a close out refers to a strategy used in tournaments to secure a win. It happens when two teammates from the same academy or team reach the final of a competition in the same division.
Rather than competing against each other in the final, they may choose to “close out” the division by having one teammate concede the match to the other, allowing them to become the champion of the division without having to face their teammate.
This strategy is commonly used to avoid the possibility of injuries or any unnecessary harm to each other during the match. Additionally, it allows the teammates to focus their energy and skills towards the next opponents, who might not be as familiar with their style as their teammates.
Many criticize IBJJF competition over allowing for close outs. This is why ADCC brackets pit teammates and friends one against another in the early stages of the competition.
But ONE FC might go a step further and match Tye Ruotolo against his twin Kade. He was recently asked about it as a part of a promotional interview ahead of his clash with ONE FC MMA champion in grappling.
“Fighting my brother would be crazy. I don’t know if it’s going to happen at 170. It definitely could,” Rutolo told The MMA Superfan. “We got to find the right time. I think we got to mark it. It’s not easy fighting your brother on a stage like that all the time. We’ve done it before but that’s a big stage. I don’t know if he’ll get saltier than normal. But I’m really excited to see that match again.”
Tye is set to compete against ONE middleweight world champion Reinier de Ridder on May 5th, as part of ONE Championship’s North American debut.
