Dante Leon And Kenta Iwamoto Lock Horns In Welterweight Submission Grappling Contest At ONE Fight Night 42
Two unstoppable forces battle for supremacy when Dante Leon and Kenta Iwamoto collide in a welterweight submission grappling showdown at ONE Fight Night 42 on Prime Video.
These world-class grapplers square off in the promotion’s fourth U.S. primetime event of 2026, taking place live on April 10 from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Leon stands as one of the most physically imposing and technically refined grapplers on the planet. The 30-year-old Canadian combines devastating physical strength with intricate technical mastery across all positions.
After conquering the IBJJF scene as a two-time No-Gi World Champion, Leon gave global audiences a masterclass in combining raw power with surgical precision.
At ONE Fight Night 26 in December 2024, he put on a clinic against MMA veteran and BJJ black belt Bruno “Puccibull” Pucci. That night, he displayed his lethal arsenal to effortlessly take the back and lock in an inverted triangle choke for the finish.
Then, the Pedigo Submission Fighting representative proved his credentials against former World Title challenger Tommy Langaker at ONE Fight Night 27 in January last year.
He dominated with superior top pressure and guard work to secure a unanimous decision victory that earned him a shot at gold.
However, Leon fell short against ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo at ONE Fight Night 31 a few months later. Despite a commendable performance, he dropped a hard-fought unanimous decision.
Now more determined than ever, Leon looks to kickstart another winning streak by reasserting his dominance against a dangerous promotional debutant.
Standing opposite the Canadian star is Iwamoto, who enters the world’s largest martial arts organization as an established star in BJJ circles with world-class credentials to match.
The 29-year-old Japanese grappler also carries extra motivation, seeking revenge for an earlier submission loss to Leon outside the promotion in 2023.
A judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Iwamoto has captured first place at the ADCC Asia & Oceania Trials on three separate occasions. He made waves at prestigious international tournaments, showcasing his signature style of minimal movement, suffocating control, and sneaky submissions.
The Japanese technician pairs devastating ground work with a formidable standup game built on slick judo-based foot sweeps. Iwamoto splits training time between IGLOO Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Japan and the renowned B-Team in Austin, Texas, absorbing top-tier instruction from both hemispheres.
When these grapplers clash on April 10, Leon will look to rebound toward World Title contention while Iwamoto aims to announce his arrival in ONE with a statement victory over an elite contender.
