Kade Ruotolo has been outspoken about PED use in major grappling competitions like ADCC. In a recent interview, the 2022 ADCC -77kg champion shared his candid thoughts on the issue.
“I think if there was (PED) testing in ADCC, there wouldn’t be an ADCC,” Ruotolo stated bluntly in recent interview. “I think that’s why they’re not (PED) testing ADCC, you know. Imagine if they were like, ‘Hey, we’re testing this ADCC’ – I think 98% or 99% of athletes would drop out.”
Ruotolo believes PED use is rampant at ADCC and other major grappling events due to the lack of testing policies and enforcement. He noted that he doesn’t think there will ever be a day where PED use is completely eliminated from the sport, but hopes it can be curbed in future generations.
“My main goal from just being outspoken on it is just to have, like, the next generations cut it from, you know, 98% of people doing ster*ids. So maybe, hopefully, the next generation could kind of follow suit, and maybe there’s a day where there’s 50/50 or something like that,” Ruotolo said.
The young grappling star is particularly concerned about PED use among teenagers and young adults, who may not fully understand the health consequences. “You see it happening earlier and earlier in these kids, like Mica [Galvao] got popped for ster*ids, and I mean, I’m sure he was doing it a long time before he got popped.”
Despite the frustrations around the PED issue, Ruotolo maintains that he and his brother Tye take pride in their natural abilities and mental toughness.
“I know that our mental is as strong as it is because we don’t do things like that. And we’re able to just kind of just outwork these guys because of our mentals,” he stated.
“The older generation, if you’re any sort of hobbyist or you just enjoy jiu-jitsu…I’m all for it. Do whatever,” Ruotolo stated in a recent interview. “If you’re doing it the right way through doctors and stuff like that, like, go for it. No stress.”
“The only time is that we’re kinda heated is when, you know, a snap hands and all of a sudden, this guy’s got three traps on him, and he’s got two left. It’s gonna be a tough one,” Ruotolo said, referring to competing against visibly enhanced athletes. “And then, obviously, you know, we’re doing everything natural. So that’s really the only time that we kinda have an issue with it.”
While he doesn’t think PED use will ever be fully eliminated from jiu-jitsu, Ruotolo hopes that being outspoken can help curb the epidemic in future generations of grapplers looking to compete clean at the highest levels.
“We really pride ourselves on our technique, and more than anything our mental toughness,” Ruotolo asserted. “I know that our mental is as strong as it is because we don’t do things like that. And we’re able to just kind of outwork these guys because of our mentals.”
Ruotolo also provided an interesting insight into why exactly the brothers left AOJ:
“The AOJ wasn’t the best environment for us,” Ruotolo admitted. “We did that’s where we kind of felt the support the least, if I’m being fully honest.”
“It’s important to be in a place that you love to walk into every day,” Ruotolo stated. “And I think that’s a huge decision for athletes – if you’re not growing in your environment the way you feel like you should, or you don’t feel the support, you know when it’s time to jump.”
Meanwhile ADCC promoter confirmed in an interview this year PED testing is unlikely to ever take place at the competition.
