WNO June 18 2021 - Who is competing this Friday?
WNO June 18 2021 - Who is competing this Friday?
Tye Ruotolo, the 18-year-old brown belt under the legendary Andre Galvao, is one of ATOS Jiu Jitsu's fastest rising stars.
It was two years ago that he finished 4th among the legends in the 66kg division of the 2019 Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) world championships, which many people consider the Olympics of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
His signature leg pin guard passing system, dynamic wrestling, including his favorite inside trip, and Darce Choke made him the youngest ADCC competitor in history.
However,
Is his skill set enough to compete with Craig Jones, the master leg locker?
The ADCC (88kg) silver medalist has a competitive record of 47-17-2, with 39 submission wins.
Three of his last four WNO wins came via inside heel hook.
Within minutes, he submitted a well-seasoned BJJ stalwart in Luiz Panza, a young phenom named Roberto Jimenez, and an ATOS standout named Ronaldo Junior.
The Australian has one of, if not the most prolific leg lock game on this planet.
Tye Ruotolo's brother Kade is undefeated on the WNO stage and will face R1ng's Franson at WNO: Craig Jones vs Tye Ruotolo this Friday.
Ruotolo will have to play a different style than those we've seen him exhibit in his first two matches against Franson due to his dynamic pace. Francison's submission rate is high, but he's been rather inactive so far this year; he's only fought once in 2021 - a decision loss to Thiago Macedo. Taking on Ruotolo will be challenging, since he is riding the momentum of his last performance.
Almeida made his WNO debut in May against Nicky Ryan. He is now 0-1. Although Almeida spent most of the match on his back foot, he impressed with his ability to defend and escape Ryan's back control game.
Almeida could be evenly matched against Wiltse in the upcoming fight. Almeida is presently ranked no.8 in the middleweight division, while Wiltse is ranked no.6.
Following their standout performances from Who's Number One last weekend, Mica Galvao and Oliver Taza are set to make a quick turnaround. Having been upgraded to the main card, the pair are set for an explosive showdown.
Mica Galvao may have come into WNO with all the expectations of a nation, but the pressure seemed to only fuel the Brazilian, as he delivered a flawless performance in his bout with Andrew Tackett, winning the match and earning 'performance of the night' honors.
Galvao easily navigated and countered everything Tackett threw at him, putting an end to any doubts about how the skills he possessed would translate to a high-level no-gi competition.
However, Oliver Taza presents an entirely different challenge than Tackett, the up-and-comer.
Oliver Taza is now 2-0 at WNO after defeating Johnatha Alves in a unanimous decision.
His leglock-centric approach will pose a serious threat to anyone who stands in his way in 2021, and he is known as one of the most dangerous no-gi specialists in the game.
Undercard
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