In what Fight 2 Win CEO Seth Daniels has called “the craziest Fight 2 Win main event ever,” 2019 ADCC competitors Tye Ruotolo and Vagner Rocha will be competing against each other at F2W 131.
Making the matchup wasn’t easy. Ruotolo is just sixteen years old and a blue belt, and despite the fact that he made it to the semifinals this year at ADCC, his age and rank made him an undesirable opponent for many potential competitors of his caliber. “I offered Tye to every 155-170 lb fighter in the world that is ranked in the top five, and everyone who has won Worlds, Pans, and ADCC in the past five years,” said Daniels. In the end, Rocha ended up being the only top-seven-ranked athlete who would take the matchup, and he did so instantly and enthusiastically, saying that he has “respect for the young man” and that he’d beat him with “whatever it takes.”
Daniels himself expressed some concern about the matchup, saying it could be perceived as a “lose-lose” for Rocha. “But,” he says, “they both want to do it, so f*ck it, let ’em fight.”
Ruotolo vs. Rocha and all the other matches at F2W 131 will take place in Richmond, CA on November 9. As always, if you can’t make it to the event in person, you can stream it live on FloGrappling.
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