Andrew Tackett’s match with Kade Ruotolo at Craig Jones Invitational is considered to be one of the greatest grappling matches in history. During a recent conversation on a podcast, Tackett opened up about the physical toll of that memorable night.
“I remember when I was going against Kade, like I like lost my hearing in that match. I was so tired,” he recalled.
Tackett explained that by the later rounds, his exhaustion became overwhelming. Tacket explained: “I remember like it was second round or it was third round, and like as soon as the match finished like, I heard the crowd screaming one more round. But I couldn’t hear them.”
He continued: “I was like, what are they saying? I couldn’t hear anything because it was just like it was like my ears were ringing because I was so tired.”
Despite his reputation for relentless pace, the 23-year-old insists he experiences the same fatigue as anyone else. “People still think I have great cardio. I get gassed. I just keep going,” he explained. “I’m so tired always. Like I barely can grip.”
Against Ruotolo, he recognized that technique alone wouldn’t decide the match. “I think we learned like ‘Okay, we don’t have what it takes to submit each other’,” Tackett said. “So it’s like who wants it more. So we were having like battles of wills and that was so fun.”
The match helped validate Tackett’s controversial decision to leave ADCC for CJI. He and his brother William were among the first to make the jump, facing criticism from fans and peers alike.
“So many people messaged me and they’re like ‘You’re an id**t. You’re dumb. Like what are you doing?’” Tackett remembered. “And I was like ‘Okay.’ I was like ‘I’m just looking after myself. It’s a million dollars.’”
That gamble paid off spectacularly. The atmosphere at CJI, with thousands of fans packed into half an arena, created an energy Tackett had never experienced.
“I just remember when I took his back in the first round, the arena went crazy and I got the chills when I was on his back,” he said.
After the final bell, both competitors knew they had created something special. Tackett found Ruotolo upstairs, recovering with hot towels. “He took everything off, stood up and hugged me. He’s like, ‘Hey man, we just made history’ and I was like, Yeah,’” Tackett recalled.
When asked if he would have gone another round despite his exhaustion, he didn’t hesitate. “I totally would have gone another round just because I was having so much fun,” he said. “I’m like, ‘I’m gonna get you. I’m gonna get you.’”
Now, as UFC BJJ welterweight champion, his wish list includes rematches with Ruotolo and matches against Jozef Chen, Mikey Musumeci, and even MMA stars like Arman Tsarukyan.
