'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMemy3//xAAiEAAABAQHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMRAAQSUQUTFBUiYXH/2gAIAQEAAT8AxGW2ySQTy5dB1aw4CcDFBnru1vY1h+o//8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREA/9oACAECAQE/ABZd/8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECESH/2gAIAQMBAT8Akto//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion Tye Ruotolo isn't underestimating the physical tools Dante Leon brings to their trilogy bout at ONE Fight Night 31 on May 2.
The Atos representative has plenty to learn from with two contests against the fellow Brazilian-jiu-jitsu black belt. Still, he hasn't taken things lightly before their first meeting on submission grappling's grandest stage inside the Lumpinee Stadium.
"[Leon is] explosive when he wants to be. He's flexible," Tye Ruotolo told the promotion ahead of fight night inside the iconic venue in Bangkok, Thailand.
"As far as, like, an athlete goes, you build your own athlete, he's got a lot of attributes that you'd want for sure."
Trending
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Both ground game specialists are in fine form as they look to break their 1-1 head-to-head deadlock. Leon earned a decision win over Ruotolo in 2020, while the latter drew level with a stunning submission finish almost a year later.
Since then, they have hit the ground running in ONE Championship.
Ruotolo has collected a 7-0 resume against Garry Tonon, Marat Gafurov, Reinier de Ridder, Dagi Arslanaliev, Izaak Michell, and Jozef Chen.
On the flip side, he has amassed back-to-back wins against Bruno Pucci and Tommy Langaker to move to 2-0 under the promotional spotlight.
Tye Ruotolo reveals how he stays ahead of Brazilian jiu-jitsu's ever-changing landscape
In the same interview with ONE Championship, the 22-year-old revealed how he stays one step ahead in the discipline where new submissions, defensive techniques, and locking mechanisms spread like wildfire.
"I love coming up with new stuff, trying to figure out new problems, find solutions to modern-day problems. And, yeah, I'll do my best to stay up to date."
Will Tye Ruotolo make it successive triumphs over the Pedigo Submission Fighting man, or will the Canadian grappling icon use his attributes to power him to 26 pounds of gold at ONE Fight Night 31?
Fight fans from the United States and Canada with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription can tune in live in U.S. primetime for free.
