Dante Leon ONE Championship: “This is kind of the pinnacle”

Dante Leon believes his impending world title challenge against Tye Ruotolo will be solidified as the most important fight of his career.

The two-time BJJ world champion will challenge Ruotolo for the ONE welterweight submission grappling world championship in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 31 on Friday, US primetime, at the historic Lumpinee Stadium.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Leon said no match would ever top his looming world title fight against Ruotolo.

Dante Leon said:

“This is kind of the pinnacle of everything. If somebody says that another match out there is bigger than this match, it’s really just opinion because as far as the evidence you’re providing, this is as big as anything.”

Leon is one of this generation’s greatest submission grapplers, holding two IBJJF No-Gi world championships and the distinction as one of the most technical BJJ artists of any era.

The Canadian superstar is 2-0 in his early ONE Championship tenure after he beat fellow BJJ world champions Bruno Pucci and Tommy Langaker.

Leon debuted at ONE Fight Night 26 in December 2024 and quickly secured a triangle armbar finish over Pucci.

Barely a month later, Leon was back between the ropes when he outclassed Langaker at ONE Fight Night 27 for his second victory in the promotion.

Leon now looks to capture ONE Championship gold against Ruotolo in what should be another submission grappling classic.

Ruotolo is an absolute superstar in BJJ, with the ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion holding multiple world titles outside the promotion.

The 22-year-old is an IBJJF world champion and a two-time Who’s Number One world champion.

ONE Fight Night 31 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

Dante Leon admits struggling to find sparring partners to emulate Tye Ruotolo

Dante Leon revealed he was already in a conundrum heading into his world title challenge against Tye Ruotolo.

The two-time IBJJF No-Gi world champion said he struggled to find training partners who could simulate Tye Ruotolo’s style and frame in training.

He said in an interview with ONE Championship:

“You kinda have to piece it together. When you think about somebody like Tye, it’s hard to find somebody who has that. You could find somebody who has really good D’Arces, but then they’re usually gonna be a tall, lanky kind of grappler, and that’s not really what Tye is, even though he is taller in length here.”