In a recent video, rising grappling star Kade Ruotolo voiced his concerns about a specific rule in Craig Jones Invitational and called for its revision. Ruotolo, known for his dominant performances on the mats, criticized the practice of guard pulling and urged the CJI organizers to address this issue ahead of the finals against Levi Jones Leary (which Ruotolo ultimately won).
Ruotolo stated bluntly in the video: “I think there needs to be some sort of different as the stalling call for the Guard players. I feel like it’s too easy to be able to sit on your back and wait for the guy to come to you, you know? You know, it’s just my thoughts. To me, I love playing guard, too. I’m not hating on all the guard players, anything like that.”
“But if I was to stand up and just do this the whole time and wait for you to overcommit, you know, I think I’d be getting phone calls. And it’s the same thing from when you’re playing guard. So I think that kind of needs to be adjusted into the rules, but I’m super excited to be here in the final.”
The young grappler’s comments have sparked discussion within the jiu-jitsu community, with many agreeing that the sport could benefit from a reevaluation of the guard pulling rule. Proponents of the change argue that it would lead to more entertaining matches, showcasing the true athleticism and technical prowess of the competitors.
However, some have pointed out the irony in a BJJ specialist not being a big fan of the guard. It could potentially limit the strategic options available to grapplers and favor wrestlers, MMA stars and Judoka in future events.
Ruotolo won a lot of fans with his performance. And the audience seemed to be strongly in favor of his proposal as proven by their reaction to Levi Jones Leary leading 2-0 in rounds after guard pulling and pursuing leg entanglements.
Some believe LJL might’ve been robbed but the contest was really close. In reality either one of them could’ve won just as easily.
Ruotolo is planning to put his $1M to good work and improve the Costa Rica academy he’s built with his brother.
