Ruotolo brothers sign sponsorship deal with Microsoft's Windows
Kade and Tye Ruotolo are now sponsored by the tech giant's brand. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Brothers Kade and Tye Ruotolo have landed a sponsor from outside the fight world: Windows, Microsoft's brand. The deal was announced by the brand itself on Instagram, in a post made in collaboration with the two athletes.
After the announcement, Windows released a short documentary-style video on YouTube that shows the brothers' style and personalities.
Terms kept secret
Neither Microsoft nor the athletes disclosed how much the sponsorship is worth. Jiu-jitsu news sites say it could be one of the biggest sponsorship deals in the sport's history, but there are no official figures.
The Ruotolos made their names in jiu-jitsu and grappling before taking their careers into MMA as well. For the grappling press, the deal shows that grapplers can now attract brands with no ties to combat sports.
The announcement comes at a time when more money is flowing into professional grappling, with events such as UFC BJJ, ONE, ADCC, BJJ Stars and Hype FC. In recent days, FloGrappling general manager Ben Kovacs said on a podcast that the math behind big grappling events rarely works out.
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