After a rough patch at the US Olympic trials, where his wrestling dreams took a hit, Jason Nolf decided to mix things up and dive into the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The Nittany Lion made his BJJ debut at the Paradigm Open 3 on June 9, 2024, and scored a knockout win against Andrew Simmons, boosting his confidence. Fast forward to August 16 and 17, and Nolf found himself in the high-stakes arena of the Craig Jones Invitational, where a cool $1 million was on the line.

Unfortunately, the Penn State star ran into the whirlwind that is Tye Ruotolo. Nolf initially held his ground impressively, scoring points and keeping the match tightly contested. However, with less than a minute remaining, Ruotolo secured victory with a decisive knee bar. But here’s where it gets interesting—Nolf’s foray into BJJ, even with a first-round exit, turned heads and earned him some serious street cred! The fighting world showers immense praise on Jason Nolf and calls him a worry

Even though Jason Nolf suffered a tough loss against Tye Ruotolo at the Craig Jones Invitational, his reputation remains as solid as ever. The wrestling star, who made a bold leap into BJJ, received a tidal wave of praise from some of the biggest names in combat sports. Jason Nolf took to Instagram Stories to share his congratulatory messages.

Former college wrestler John Broughton couldn’t resist taking a playful jab at the BJJ world: “Jiu-jitsu world you have @JASONNOLF to worry about now… Good luck.” Levi Jones-Leary, who was the runner-up in the under 80kg category, was equally impressed. After tagging Nolf, he gushed, “Would be so sick to train with this guy.”

Not to be outdone, another wrestler, Carlos, extended an open invitation to his gym, Ascension Athletics, for some quality training sessions. Jason Nolf, ever the trooper, has agreed and will be heading to Connecticut on August 31st to take him up on it. But wait. There’s more!

Australian grappler Isaak Mitchell also threw his support behind Nolf, posting, “With only 6 weeks of BJJ training that was the most impressive performance of the whole weekend imo.” High praise indeed! Despite being relatively new to BJJ, Nolf held his own against Ruotolo, a seasoned pro in the sport. Nolf might have come up short in this round, but he’s certainly earned the respect and admiration of the grappling community. And yet, he seemed as humble as ever. However, amidst all the praise, a cloud of cheating accusations still looms over Nolf’s achievements.

Jason Nolf hits back at cheating allegations through a video mocking Tye Ruotolo

Despite scoring the win, Tye Ruotolo threw some serious shade at Jason Nolf, accusing him of cheating. Ruotolo felt like he was grappling with a “bar of soap” and, in the heat of the moment, asked the wrestling star Jason Nolf if he had greased his legs. “Did you grease your legs? I asked him. He’s like, ‘Yeah.’ I can’t even believe he admitted it, you know. You’re not supposed to do that,” Ruotolo claimed. If these allegations hold water, they could seriously impact Nolf’s career. But rather than issuing a formal denial, Nolf took a more lighthearted approach.

Jason Nolf posted a cheeky video on X, where he’s seen applying moisturizer to his leg, seemingly poking fun at Ruotolo’s accusations. While no official investigations have been launched, it’s clear that Nolf’s playful response and the praise he’s earned from the fight world have kept him in the spotlight. What’s your take on Nolf’s humorous comeback and the praise he’s getting from the maestros of the fight world? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!