Tye Ruotolo’s D’Arce Choke On Garry Tonon Is ONE’s 2022 Grappling Submission Of The Year

By the time teenage BJJ prodigy Tye Ruotolo made his promotional debut at ONE 157 in May, he was already known around the globe for his relentless submission hunting and firebrand style of grappling.

In his clash with fellow elite grappler Garry “The Lion Killer” Tonon, the 19-year-old brilliantly displayed that fearsome style and forced his American compatriot to tap out in 97 seconds, thus earning him ONE’s 2022 Grappling Submission of the Year honor.

Ruotolo’s D’Arce choke finish was a thing of beauty and an example of just how thrilling submission grappling can be when two of the planet’s top ground fighters meet inside the Circle.

The Californian meant business from the opening bell, hammering Tonon with heavy collar ties and snap-downs through the first minute of the lightweight submission grappling contest. But while Ruotolo was serious and determined, the New Jersey native seemed unbothered and even casual, smiling off the youngster’s aggression.

That casualness would prove to be misplaced.

Just over 60 seconds into the 10-minute, submission-only clash, Ruotolo flung his foe to the mat and, in a matter of moments, had passed Tonon’s guard and advanced to the north-south position.

From there, the Andre Galvao black belt wasted no time in searching for his trademark D’Arce choke. This technique works by compressing an opponent’s carotid arteries, stopping the flow of blood to the brain with an incredible amount of squeezing pressure.

Faced with the decision of “tap or nap,” Tonon wisely tapped out to bring an end to the contest before either grappler even broke a sweat.

Ruotolo’s D’Arce choke was particularly impressive given his rival’s achievements in both BJJ and MMA. A longtime black belt competitor, the 31-year-old is an IBJJF No-Gi Pan American Champion, an ADCC medalist, a former ONE Featherweight World Title challenger, and widely regarded as one of the most dangerous submission specialists of his generation.

Moreover, Tonon is world-renowned for his absurd, seemingly impenetrable submission defense.

Ruotolo, however, was able to dismantle those defenses in under two minutes, thus announcing to the global submission grappling community that he is no longer a young up-and-comer but rather a true, top-of-the-food-chain competitor.

The submission victory secured the Californian’s spot in highlight reels for years to come and kicked off his promising ONE Championship career in electrifying fashion.