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Tye Ruotolo's next world title match might be his most significant yet.
The reigning ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion will defend his throne against two-time BJJ world champion Dante Leon in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 31 on May 2, US primetime, at the historic Lumpinee Stadium.
While Ruotolo's match against Leon would be the first time they square off under the ONE Championship banner, the pair already had two high-profile matches before arriving in the promotion.
Leon and Ruotolo are 1-1 in their first two matches from 2020 and 2021, and their trilogy match couldn't be more pivotal.
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In an interview with ONE Championship, Tye Ruotolo said:
"You know, for the community, that's a trilogy fight between me and Dante. Two guys who are at the top of their sport."
Leon scored first blood in their rivalry when he beat Ruotolo via referee's decision in their match at GrappleFest 8 in 2020.
Ruotolo evened the score a year later when he beat Leon via Guillotine Choke at Who's Number One in 2021.
Having gone their separate ways after their 2021 showdown, it took almost four years for the old rivals to stoke the flame of their feud at the top of the submission grappling world.
Leon entered ONE Championship with one of the best resumes in this generation after he captured gold in the 2019 and 2022 IBJJF No-Gi world championships.
Ruotolo, meanwhile, exploded into superstar status when he joined ONE Championship in 2022.
The now-22-year-old became a WNO world champion in 2021 and captured gold in the 2022 IBJJF World Championships.
Ruotolo's biggest win, however, came in November 2023 when he beat Magomed Abdulkadirov for the inaugural ONE welterweight submission grappling world title.
His world title defense over Leon and the entire ONE Fight Night 31 card are available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Tye Ruotolo plans to steal the show against Dante Leon at ONE Fight Night 31
Tye Ruotolo is no stranger to the mystique the hallowed Lumpinee Stadium holds, and he vowed to put on a show befitting of the Bangkok arena's iconic status.
In the same interview with ONE Championship, Ruotolo said:
"Yeah, that's my main goal whenever I step in there, it is to be entertaining first and foremost. And then it's to win."
