Andrew Tackett has reflected on his unforgettable clash with Kade Ruotolo at the Craig Jones Invitational, revealing just how physically demanding the bout actually was.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest matches in modern submission grappling, the contest pushed both athletes to their absolute limits.
Speaking on a recent podcast, Tackett explained that the intensity of the match affected him in ways he didn’t expect:
I remember when I was going against Kade, I like lost my hearing in that match.
I was so tired.
By the later rounds, fatigue had overwhelmed him to the point that he couldn’t even process what was happening around him:
I remember it was second round or it was third round, and like as soon as the match finished, I heard the crowd screaming one more round.
But I couldn’t hear them.I was, like, what are they saying? I couldn’t hear anything because it was just like my ears were ringing because I was so tired.
Despite his reputation for endless cardio, Tackett insisted he experiences the same exhaustion as any other competitor:
People still think I have great cardio. I get gassed. I just keep going.
I’m so tired always. Like I barely can grip.
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