![Dante Leon (left) and Tye Ruotolo (right). [Photos from ONE Championship]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/fc490-17459444656141-1920.jpg)
![Dante Leon (left) and Tye Ruotolo (right). [Photos from ONE Championship]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.6666666666667'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%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,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMcguP/EACIQAAIBAwIHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwAEERMxBRIhIiMyUf/aAAgBAQABPwAcWmlWMaUGna+vgQMzZJ7zu/zrRuLdiSsciKdl5s4r/8QAFhEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEx/9oACAECAQE/AFT/xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAgBAwEBPwCv/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Dante Leon is determined to show his evolution when he meets old rival Tye Ruotolo in their highly anticipated trilogy match.
The two-time BJJ world champion will challenge Ruotolo for the ONE welterweight submission grappling world title in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 31 on Friday, US primetime, at the historic Lumpinee Stadium.
In an interview with Cageside Press, Leon said he looks forward to seeing the improvements Ruotolo has made in his career.
The two-time IBJJF No-Gi world champion added that he's hyped to unleash his new and evolved version against Ruotolo in their trilogy.
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"This is a match that kind of goes into that, but at the same time, it's been so long since we've gone against each other. It's really interesting to me, it's really exciting."
The match will be the first time Leon and Ruotolo square off under ONE Championship, but the third time the two world champions will meet in their careers.
Leon scored the first win in their series when he beat Ruotolo via referee's decision at Grapplefest 8 in 2020.
Ruotolo evened the score at 1-1 when he submitted Leon with a Guillotine Choke at Who's Number One in 2021.
Since that 2021 rematch, the pair have remained largely beyond each other's spheres - until Leon arrived in ONE Championship in December 2024.
The 29-year-old is coming off two straight wins in the promotion when he beat fellow BJJ world champions Bruno Pucci (submission) and Tommy Langaker (unanimous decision) to take his shot at Ruotolo's throne.
ONE Fight Night 31 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Watch Leon's entire interview below:
Dante Leon tells BJJ newcomers to enjoy the journey and avoid putting too much pressure on themselves
Dante Leon has always encouraged newcomers to BJJ, and he'll take every opportunity to do just that.
In an Ask-Me-Anything session on Reddit, Leon shared his wisdom with the r/BJJ community and told BJJ white belts to just have fun in the sport:
"Enjoy, have fun, make this as fun as possible. Jiu-jitsu was always fun to me because I really, really liked it. A lot of people will put unnecessary pressure on you but just remember to have fun because then why do it."
