High no-gi competitor Dante Leon opened up about his motivations for signing with ONE Championship.
Contemporary off a formidable, third-place run on the 2024 ADCC World Championships and a dominant win at Polaris 30, elite no-gi competitor Dante Leon will quickly make his promotional debut in ONE Championship’s submission grappling division when he takes on fellow BJJ black belt Bruno Pucci on December 6 at ONE Battle Evening 26.
An extended-time mainstay of the world-class no-gi competitors scene, Leon is a giant pick-up for the Singapore-based martial arts group. Along with his a number of ADCC podium appearances, the Canadian is a two-time IBJJF no-gi world champion and a former Grapplefest and Who’s Quantity One champion, boasting victories over various the game’s finest throughout a number of weight courses. In 2023, he was named Grappling Insider’s Male Grappler of the Year.
For Leon, the choice to signal with ONE was primarily in regards to the alternative to face who he sees because the planet’s prime submission grappling rivals.
“I see ONE as being a extremely premier group, between their presentation, between how they conduct themselves, and a giant factor is the athletes which are there,” he mentioned in an interview with ONE Championship.
Certainly, if he can get previous Pucci at ONE Battle Evening 26, Leon can stay up for potential clashes with ONE’s present 170-pound champion Kade Ruotolo or his twin brother and 185-pound champion Tye Ruotolo. Each are constantly ranked among the many sport’s pound-for-pound finest. Leon has by no means confronted Kade in competitors and is 1-1 in opposition to Tye.
“There are extraordinarily high-level grapplers over there which have held titles,” mentioned Leon. “Now, a few of the most high-level on the planet, no matter who you ask, no matter what sort of competitors guidelines that you simply’re taking a look at, one of the best of one of the best are over there at ONE so far as submission grappling goes.”
As one of many sport’s most sought-after rivals, Leon entertained gives from a number of organizations. His signing with ONE got here at a time when he had a proposal on the desk to compete at December’s UFC Battle Go Invitational 9, sources instructed Grappling Insider.
In the end, although, he was pushed by his need to face the hardest competitors out there and solidify himself as an all-time nice – one thing he thinks he can accomplish in ONE.
“I believe if anyone’s critical about grappling,” he mentioned, “if anyone’s critical about profitable a title that may cement their legacy as an all-time nice, I believe the ONE World Title is vital on your mantelpiece.”
The way to watch: Dante Leon vs. Bruno Pucci takes place on December 6, 2024, at ONE Battle Evening 26 and can air stay on Prime Video (free with Amazon Plus subscription) starting at 8:00 PM EST.
