Tye Ruotolo: "You legend" - Fans glad to see Tye Ruotolo back in lethal form after triumphant world title defense against Dante Leon

After nearly a year away from the spotlight, Tye Ruotolo returned to the ONE Championship stage without missing a beat.

In his long-awaited comeback at ONE Fight Night 31 last May 2, the American phenom put on a masterclass against Canadian rival Dante Leon, retaining his ONE welterweight submission grappling world title in their high-stakes trilogy bout.

Serving as the co-main event of the U.S. primetime spectacle held at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, Ruotolo dominated the 10-minute, single-round contest from start to finish, showcasing relentless pace and technical brilliance.

Ruotolo was in complete control throughout the match, attacking from all angles and maintaining positional superiority. Leon showed heart and resilience in defending, but couldn't mount any meaningful offense or halt his counterpart's onslaught.

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In the end, Ruotolo's calculated aggression and high-level execution earned him a clear-cut unanimous decision. Despite the layoff, fans were quick to notice that Ruotolo looked like he'd never gone.

Watch the ringside footage of Tye Ruotolo's grappling showcase against Dante Leon below (via @ruotolobrothersjiujitsu's post on Instagram):

Fans flocked to the comments section of the aforementioned post to praise Ruotolo. One individual wrote:

"You legend"

Another wrote:

"great to see you back"

Read the comments in the Instagram post embedded above:

Tye Ruotolo targets MMA transition next

After successfully defending the ONE welterweight submission grappling world title against Dante Leon at ONE Fight Night 31, Tye Ruotolo feels he has checked off every box on his to-do list in the sport.

With his goals in submission grappling accomplished, the 22-year-old prodigy is now ready to embark on a new journey within the ONE Championship ranks.

Speaking in a post-event interview, Ruotolo confirmed that a transition to mixed martial arts is on the horizon:

"Very soon. Just working on some logisitc side of things, but I can't wait to scrap. I'm ready to go."

About the author

A sports journalist with over 10 years of experience, Nissi Icasiano has previously contributed to well-known platforms such as Rappler, Tiebreaker Times, International Business Times, ABS-CBN News, and currently, Sportskeeda. With a background in Legal Management, his attention to detail and thorough research shape his journalistic style.

Nissi specializes in MMA, particularly ONE Championship, and his love for the sport is evident in his in-depth coverage of its athletes and events. He has reported on major milestone events, including Demetrious Johnson’s final fight at ONE Championship's first U.S. event.

Nissi's hands-on experience in the sport of boxing enhances his understanding of combat sports. His dedication towards delivering informative and compelling content makes him a reliable source for MMA fans.

In his spare time, Nissi takes joy in spending time with his young daughter.

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Edited by Anurag Mitra