Garry Tonon says it’s ‘really cool’ that submission grappling is now part of ONE’s branding

‘The Lion Killer’ Garry Tonon is thrilled to see submission grappling begin to grow under the ONE Championship banner.

Before making his move to mixed martial arts, Garry Tonon was a decorated BJJ practitioner, winning titles at ADCC, IBJJF World, and the Pan American championships. Today, ‘The Lion Killer’ is an equally impressive MMA fighter, boasting an impressive 7-1 record with an 86% finish rate. This Friday night, Tonon will continue his march toward the top of the featherweight division, taking on undefeated Russian standout Shamil Gasanov.

Ahead of his highly anticipated return to the ring, Tonon spoke about the growth of submission grappling as part of ONE Championship events over the last year:

“Everybody knows it’s a part of the show, some people are showing up, some people are tuning in for that specific expressed purpose,” Tonon told the promotion. “And that's the branding that ONE is building right now, around grappling, and that's really cool.”

In an effort to grow submission grappling, ONE Championship added a plethora of BJJ superstars to its roster in 2022, including Danielle Kelly, Mikey Musumeci, and the Ruotolo brothers. Since then, the division has continued to expand with names like Tommy Langaker, Amanda Alequin, and Tammi Musumeci joining the fray. The promotion has also showcased some of the greatest sambo fighters in the world, giving fans an opportunity to see the best of both worlds.

Mikey Musumeci and Kade Ruotolo currently represent the promotion as the first two men to hold submission grappling world championships under the ONE banner. The promotion has not yet announced a women’s submission grappling title, however, BJJ beauty Danielle Kelly hopes that will change in the near future.

Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America can catch Garry Tonon vs. Shamil Gasanov at ONE Fight Night 12 live and for free in U.S. primetime on July 14.