For Dante Leon, switching to martial arts wasn't all that tough. While some uncertainties came with the move, the Canadian grappling powerhouse admits he already had the competitive nature needed from playing ice hockey.
The Windsor native, similar to most Canadian kids, started training from a very young age. Despite enjoying the nature of the sport and spending most of his free time doing just that, his love for hitting pucks soon came to a standstill.
As a driven athlete who loved testing himself in something new, Leon's passion for sports didn't stop there. Just as his love for ice hockey dwindled, he discovered Brazilian jiu-jitsu thanks to his dad. It wasn't long until he left the game completely in favor of what he loves doing the most today.
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The Pedigo Submission Fighting athlete reflected on the switch during an interview with ONE Championship, sharing how he transitioned his competitive mindset from the rink to the mats:
"It was almost like my desire for hockey was kind of leaving. I really liked the game, but I was kind of losing my passion to be super competitive with it. At that point, I actually found jiu-jitsu with the help of my dad. He introduced me to it."
After only 10 months of honing his craft on the canvas, Leon hopped into his first tournament — and from there his passion for competing skyrocketed.
As he continued leveling up until he acquired the black belt, more success and world titles followed for the Canadian martial artist.
Dante Leon opens his ONE account against Bruno Pucci
In less than a week, the BJJ black belt opens his ONE Championship account against Bruno Pucci in a lightweight submission grappling tilt at ONE Fight Night 26.
Looking to continue his steady rise in the sport, the 29-year-old ground game specialist is ready to impress a worldwide audience and add the most coveted prize in submission grappling to his list of accolades.
Dante Leon's clash against Pucci takes place inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription can tune in to the entire Dec. 6 bill live in U.S. primetime for free.