“I loved it” - Grappling superstar Dante Leon reveals his martial arts journey began with striking

29-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu star and two-time IBJJF no-go world champion Dante Leon of Canada is one of the most talented submission grapplers in ONE Championship, but the BJJ black belt was raised in a striking household.

In fact, Leon grew up training in different striking martial arts, such as boxing and Muay Thai, before he eventually settled on 'the gentle art' of jiu-jitsu.

Speaking to Jits Magazine in a recent interview, Leon talked about his upbringing, which features a rich, striking background.

The 29-year-old said:

"Honestly, growing up, my dad was a lifetime martial artist. Boxing, Muay Thai were aspects of combat that he really delved into since he was a young kid. So those are things that he kind of taught me and [I was] very interested in and I loved it."

Could we see Dante Leon trade the gi for the four-ounce MMA gloves in the future? It's certainly possible.

But before that, Leon makes a quick turnaround this weekend to face a very tough opponent in his next ONE Championship fight.

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Dante Leon to roll with rival Tommy Langaker at ONE Fight Night 27 on Prime Video

Dante Leon makes a quick turnaround to rehash his rivalry with Norwegian grappling star Tommy Langaker.

The two are set to lock horns at ONE Fight Night 27: Tang vs. Abdullaev on Prime Video, which broadcasts live in U.S. primetime from the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, January 10.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live and free with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding the event as it happens.