Kade Ruotolo has publicly suggested that Brazilian jiu-jitsu phenom Mica Galvao has been avoiding a rematch between the two grappling standouts.
Ruotolo, who previously faced Galvao in a highly contested match at ADCC, expressed frustration over what he perceives as Galvao’s reluctance to meet him on the competition mats again.
“I was looking forward to a possible rematch at CJI but he decided to compete in an easier bracket for $10,000 instead of $1 million,” Ruotolo stated on his social media account.
The American grappling sensation also claimed that opportunities for a rematch have been presented multiple times. “Ricardo (Ammendolia) from Flograppling offered us the rematch a few months after ADCC – I accepted it, he declined,” Ruotolo wrote. He added that “ONE Championship gave him multiple opportunities to get the win back but he declined all.”
This public callout comes amid interesting developments in both athletes’ careers. Ruotolo will not be participating in CJI 2, while his twin brother Tye has scheduled his MMA debut against Adrien Lee. Meanwhile, Galvao recently signed a deal with Flograppling and claimed victory in the middleweight grand prix at BJJ Stars, where he submitted Roberto Jimenez in late April.
The rivalry has intensified as Galvao reportedly issued his own challenge, with Brazilian media quoting him saying: “It would be cool to pit the first [Kade] against the second [Mica] just for us to see something.”
This public exchange has certainly added fuel to what was already one of the most anticipated potential rematches in the grappling world.
