Tye Ruotolo Vs. Dante Leon: 4 Keys To Victory In Submission Grappling World Title Match At ONE Fight Night 31

At ONE Fight Night 31: Kongthoranee vs. Nong-O II on Prime Video, two of the world’s top pound-for-pound BJJ black belts will face off in a highly anticipated rubber match – this time with 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold at stake.

Reigning ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo will defend his coveted belt against decorated Canadian standout Dante Leon in U.S. primetime this Friday, May 2.

That 10-minute matchup will take place at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, and given the pair’s first two encounters, their third battle is guaranteed to produce fast-paced action for as long as it lasts.

In their initial 2020 clash, Leon employed solid wrestling and clean guard-passing to earn a hard-fought decision victory. When they met one year later, the American evened the score with a sensational last-second submission win.

Before they throw down in this high-stakes trilogy bout on the global stage, we dive into each athlete’s keys to victory at ONE Fight Night 31.

#1 Ruotolo’s Takedowns

Ruotolo grapples like a snowball rolling down a hill, gradually pouring on more pressure and relentless submission attacks until his opponent breaks.

For that strategy to work against a master technician like Leon, he must work hard to win the wrestling exchanges on the feet and secure the top position.

While the young Californian is plenty capable of attacking from his guard, he is much more dangerous when he’s on top, where he can utilize his seemingly unmatched guard-passing to gain dominant positions and create opportunities for submissions.

Look for Ruotolo to engage in aggressive hand-fighting on the feet before going for his takedowns – whether that’s an explosive double-leg or his trademark uchi-mata throw.

#2 Leon Dictating The Pace

Because the titleholder is such a buzzsaw of activity, Leon would be wise to lean heavily on his precise technique and crushing strength to slow things down and methodically work toward a submission.

The Canadian is arguably the world’s most well-rounded grappler – one who’s just as capable attacking with leg locks as he is hunting for the back. Against Ruotolo, this elite all-around skill set should play dividends, as there’s practically no position in which Leon is uncomfortable.

In his victory over Ruotolo in 2020, Leon was able to control the pace of the match and consistently force his adversary on the defensive. He’ll undoubtedly aim to repeat that strategy at ONE Fight Night 31.

#3 Ruotolo’s Expert Front Headlocks

Any discussion of Ruotolo’s grappling is incomplete without mention of his dangerous front headlock game. In fact, he tapped Leon in 2021 with a beautiful lightning-fast modified guillotine choke.

The 22-year-old would be wise to employ his dynamic front headlock from the opening bell. This approach could not only wear down and exhaust Lean but also limit many of his best attacks.

Simply put, Ruotolo possesses the best D’Arce, guillotine, and anaconda chokes in submission grappling, and these techniques should remain the centerpiece of his strategy when he puts his gold on the line.

#4 Leon’s Back-Takes

If Leon hopes to leave Bangkok as a ONE World Champion, his clearest path to victory is taking Ruotolo’s back, where he is a superb finisher.

The 29-year-old showed just how dangerous he is from that position in his ONE debut late last year when he needed just two minutes to to submit fellow BJJ black belt Bruno Pucci.

Of course, getting to Ruotolo’s back will be no easy task, as he’ll have to wade through all of the American’s crafty counters, but if he’s able to secure the back position, Leon could be the first man to defeat Ruotolo in ONE.