Dante Leon has met Tye Ruotolo on two occasions and split the sessions against the ONE Championship king. On Friday, May 2, he gets a third shot against the Atos BJJ star. This time, at ONE Fight Night 31, a win will net him the ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Title.
Dante Leon Ready To Roll Friday Night
“It’s the biggest match in the world right now, to be honest. Maybe I’m biased to myself, but when you talk about a match that has history, you talk about a match that has excitement, that has titles, that has accolades, that has prestige, that has, in my opinion, the most respected World Title belt attached to it going to the winner. It being on ONE Championship, it being on Amazon Prime. I mean, there’s a million reasons why this is probably the biggest match in the world right now. This is one of the biggest matches that we’ve ever had in the sport,” Dante Leon commented to ONE.
Dante Leon Hungry to Score Win in Trilogy Bout
Dante Leon took their first meeting by decision but was submitted late in their rematch by the American. Knowing he has the tools to topple the reigning king does inspire confidence in the Canadian. With that confidence, Leon knows he must try to take command of the match if he hopes to hoist 26 pounds of gold at the match’s end.
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“Just because of my style, and just because of how things go, you see me play in a lot of different positions. You see me in a lot of different exchanges more so than you do a lot of other people. But, against him, I don’t see this as me having to play anything that he forces me to or he makes me choose. The big thing about not getting caught behind, the big thing about not losing dictatorship of the match, is that is I’m making the choices, and I’m directing the ship on where I want it to go,” the Canadian stated.
Look for Dante Leon to Go on the Offensive From Command to Fight Friday
Under ONE’s global rule set, aggression and submission attempts are the key to victory. Dante Leon plans to attack and look for the finish so that the judges are not required. He wants to leave no doubt, but also make it a memorable encounter that excites the fans.
“I 100 percent feel like I’m going to win this match. I’m going to try to submit him. I’m going to try to beat him and secure a victory that takes all judges, takes any kind of opinion out of it. It’s gonna be a submission victory, if it’s gonna be anything. I’m 100 percent confident in that happening,” Dante Leon said.
Can Dante Leon Take His Seat on the Throne?
The title would be a culmination of his ascent to the top of the mountain. However, the victory would mean more than just becoming the World Champion. Dante Leon hopes to become one of the sport’s all-time greats.
“All of these matches and all of these things that I’ve been doing recently have really been something that can help forge my legacy and help my story live on through many, many years, even after I’m dead and gone. I think matches like this can live on forever, and that’s a special thing, and that’s very real,” the title contender offered.
Dante Leon is perhaps most excited by the chance at this trilogy because of Ruotolo’s stature in the sport. He is not interested in just competing against anybody. ONE Fight Night 31 is a chance to beat the best of the best and establish his reputation as being the king of the welterweight jungle.
“I’ve always looked to hunt down World Champions and guys who are ranked the best in the world. And that’s because I want people to look back at my career, and I don’t wanna have this thing of, like, ‘Oh, he didn’t fight anybody. Like, he has 200 wins, but, you know, he fought nobody.’ No. I wanna be able to have 30, 40 World Champions that have been defeated by me. The title at ONE is a very special thing for any martial artist, any person. That’s huge. That’s monumental,” Dante Leon said.
How to Watch Dante Leon at ONE Fight Night 31
ONE Fight Night 31 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, May 2. The action begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event is free for all Amazon Prime members in the U.S. and Canada.
