Kade Ruotolo, a 21-year-old jiu-jitsu phenom and recent MMA athlete, has recently hinted at a new goal: competing in wrestling at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. In a candid interview with Ariel Helwani, Ruotolo shared his excitement over the possibility of stepping onto the Olympic wrestling mat, a dream that he and his brother, Tye, have discussed as they continue to push the boundaries of their athletic careers.

“My brother and I, we like to talk about it because we’ve dabbled in wrestling, you know, a little high school wrestling class growing up,” Kade explained. “We feel like we have very strong wrestling, you know, we could wrestle with very high-level wrestlers. And we’ve never focused on it.”

For Ruotolo, wrestling is not entirely foreign—both he and Tye have trained in wrestling as part of their jiu-jitsu and MMA development. Despite their limited formal background in the sport, the brothers are no strangers to high-level grappling. Kade believes their foundation in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and their innate competitive spirit might allow them to transition successfully into Olympic-level wrestling if they commit to it fully.

“Obviously, I don’t think I can wrestle at that level anytime soon,” he acknowledged. “But with a lot of time given to it and dedicated to it, I think anything in the martial arts world, we could really accomplish almost anything that we put our minds to.”

This belief in their ability to excel if they set their minds to it is central to Kade and Tye’s ethos as young athletes. In a world where most wrestlers start training at a young age, the Ruotolo brothers’ approach would require an immense amount of dedication and adaptability. But for Kade, the challenge is part of the allure.

“We’re still so young. We have nothing but time,” he added, expressing confidence in their ability to pivot and grow within different combat sports. “If we decided to put everything into wrestling, we know that we could make real progress.”

From Grappling Giants to Olympic Hopefuls?

The Ruotolos have already achieved feats in Brazilian jiu-jitsu that have earned them international recognition, and Kade’s recent MMA debut showcases their ability to evolve and thrive in new arenas. The possibility of the Olympics represents not just a new competitive frontier but also a chance for the brothers to represent martial arts—and perhaps even their jiu-jitsu roots—on the grandest athletic stage in the world.

Kade’s belief in their potential shines through his words, a testament to the confidence and work ethic that he and his brother bring to every endeavor.

“I think if we committed to wrestling, just like we have with jiu-jitsu and MMA, there’s no reason we couldn’t reach the Olympic level,” he said. “It’s just about giving it the right amount of time and focus.”

As Kade and Tye Ruotolo continue to blaze trails in jiu-jitsu and MMA, the prospect of seeing these grappling prodigies transition to Olympic wrestling adds an exciting chapter to their already remarkable careers. For the Ruotolo brothers, this ambition reflects their philosophy that anything is possible with the right dedication and belief in one’s abilities.