Tye Ruotolo is making a comeback after suffering what was described as a devastating knee injury that sidelined him from competition and derailed his championship aspirations.
In a recent interview with onefc.com, Ruotolo shared positive news about his recovery journey, revealing he avoided surgical intervention despite the severity of the damage.
“It was the biggest injury I’ve had in jiu-jitsu. I’ve had some torn ligaments before in my knee, but nothing quite to the extent and the amount of damage I did this last time,” Ruotolo explained.
The elite grappler expressed relief about his body’s natural healing process: “I didn’t need to go with the surgery. I was super stoked. My body ended up healing after a couple months.”
His twin brother and fellow jiu-jitsu standout, Kade Ruotolo, previously detailed the extent of Tye’s injuries during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, noting that Tye had torn “the majority of ligaments in his knee.”
“He tore like the majority of ligaments in his knee. I think one of the only ones he didn’t tear was, like, his ACL, thankfully. But yeah, you know, MCL, PCL, all these different ligaments,” Kade explained.
The rehabilitation process has been challenging and lengthy for the younger Ruotolo twin, marking the longest period he’s been away from competition in his career.
“It’s just been getting my knee strong and getting it ready for competition over the past six months – longest time I’ve ever been out of competition and off the mats,” Tye shared. “It’s been quite a process getting it back, for sure. I’m just grateful to have another opportunity to be on the mat. I definitely took it for granted, just competing, even.”
During his brother’s recovery, Kade has continued competing but admitted to mixed emotions about doing so without his twin by his side. “Whenever you’re winning alongside your brother, it feels so much better, you know,” Kade said.
The period of separation appears to be coming to an end, as Tye is scheduled to make his competitive return at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The upcoming match will pit him against another top-ranked grappler in what promises to be an exciting return to action.
