'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former IBJJF no-gi world champion Dante Leon of Canada and reigning ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion Tye Ruotolo of the United States are very familiar with each other as opponents.
After all, the welterweight elite have squared off twice before, outside of ONE Championship, with their series even steven at one win apiece.
Ruotolo ended up submitting Leon in their first encounter, but the Canadian took revenge in the second meeting by beating the American via decision.
Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Leon admits he was quite surprised at how strong Ruotolo had gotten in just a short amount of time.
Trending
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
The 29-year-old Pedigo Submission Fighting representative told the world's largest martial arts organization:
"And then going into the second match, I didn't think that I would be able to do the same thing to him just because, one, we'd already went against each other before and had fifteen minutes of experience against each other prior to that. And, two, he grew up quite a bit. He was bigger. And, in that tournament at that time, he got ahead of me in the match, and that was the thing that really held me back."
Fans won't have to wait long to see these two back on the mats.
Dante Leon takes on Tye Ruotolo in all-important rubber match at ONE Fight Night 31 on Prime Video
Canadian submission grappling star Dante Leon is set to challenge 22-year-old ONE Championship titleholder Tye Ruotolo this weekend for the ONE welterweight submission grappling world championship.
The two roll in a highly anticipated world title showdown at ONE Fight Night 31.
ONE Fight Night 31: Kongthoranee vs. Nong-O II on Prime Video is set to broadcast live in U.S. primetime on Friday, May 2. The event goes down from the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand and can be viewed in the United States and Canada with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the event as it happens.
