![Tye Ruotolo takes on Dante Leon at ONE Fight Night 31. [Photo from ONE Championship]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/65c08-17464489620297-1920.jpg)
![Tye Ruotolo takes on Dante Leon at ONE Fight Night 31. [Photo 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,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
He may have retained the gold, but Tye Ruotolo isn't too satisfied with his world title defense over old foe Dante Leon.
The ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion extended his reign with the gold when he outclassed Leon for the unanimous decision win in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 31 at the historic Lumpinee Stadium this past weekend.
It was Ruotolo's second defense of his gold after becoming the division's inaugural world champion when he beat Magomed Abdulkadirov at ONE Fight Night 16.
In his in-ring interview with ONE Championship commentator Mitch Chilson, Ruotolo said he would've wanted to leave Lumpinee with a submission win over the two-time IBJJF No-Gi world champion.
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"Could have been better, could have gotten the sub, that’s what I came here to do. But I’m just grateful to be back on the mats again."
Despite Leon's unwavering defensive game, Ruotolo was in firm control of the match and continuously passed into different positions to find the opening in the Canadian superstar's shell.
Ruotolo and Leon measured each other in the opening moments before the American superstar changed levels and quickly shot for a double-leg takedown.
Leon, however, had a textbook tight guard that puzzled Ruotolo.
Midway through the match, Ruotolo isolated Leon's right leg, but didn't have enough leverage to constitute a successful catch.
Ruotolo's aggression ultimately secured him the world title win as he improved to a perfect 8-0 in ONE Championship.
Fans in the United States and Canada can watch replays of ONE Fight Night 31 free and on demand on Prime Video.
Tye Ruotolo says he's not leaving BJJ despite a possible move to MMA
Tye Ruotolo is keen on a possible move to MMA, but he'll remain as active in submission grappling as he will in his new venture.
In an interview with ONE Championship, the ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion said he won't abandon the sport where he built his martial arts legacy.
He said:
"That's the plan. I never want to leave jiu-jitsu. I love jiu-jitsu so much. My heart will always forever be in jiu-jitsu, and I always want to do the community right by at least competing once or twice a year at the very minimum."
