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Submission grappling powerhouse Dante Leon has gone into overdrive as he prepares for his Tye Ruotolo trilogy fight at ONE Fight Night 31. Still, the Canadian admits there's an inherent unpredictability when facing someone of Ruotolo's caliber.
The ground game savants renew their rivalry in the co-main event of the May 2 spectacle, which emanates live from the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Apart from determining who takes the lead in their rivalry, which currently stands at one victory apiece, a win for the Pedigo Submission Fighting affiliate could see him walk out of the venue as the ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion.
However, he doesn't want to bite more than he can chew, specifically because he knows Ruotolo will be a tough puzzle to solve.
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Speaking to Cageside Press, Dante Leon stated:
"What happens after that, what happens inside of the match, what exchanges happen, what things happen — it's almost impossible to tell about going against somebody like Tye...It's just hard to predict because he's real tricky."
Leon, a two-time IBJJF world champion, arrived on the global stage last year. He acquired back-to-back wins over Bruno Pucci (via submission) and Tommy Langaker (via decision) to set himself up for a shot at 26 pounds of gold.
In the opposite corner, the defending champion rides a 7-0 run heading into his second world title defense. Ruotolo has spent the last 10 months recovering from a knee injury.
Watch Dante Leon's full interview with Cageside Press here:
Dante Leon praises ONE's touch in the submission grappling realm: "It's all incredible"
In the same interview, Dante Leon was asked about what separates ONE Championship from different promotions he's fought in the past.
The 29-year-old confidently stated:
"ONE does a great job of balancing everything and making such a great event. It's like a spectacle every time you're there—the lights, the audience, the camera work, it's all incredible."
ONE Fight Night 31 will be available to active Amazon Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada. The card takes place at U.S. primetime on May 2.
