Tye Ruotolo’s ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Championship was up for grabs in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 31.
With their rivalry tied at 1-1, Ruotolo and Dante Leon faced off for the third time inside Bangkok’s prestigious Lumpinee Stadium on Saturday, May 3.
The American sensation stepped into the ring after nearly 10 months and dominated his rival with his suffocating top control and submission-hunting game, winning by unanimous decision.
The Atos representative was pleased with his win but he acknowledged that ring rust played a factor. He, however, also believed that he dominated his opponent very well.
“Out of 10, I’d maybe give [my performance] a six or seven. I felt like I kind of smashed him pretty good, but I didn’t get the sub,” Tye said. “I felt like I had a little bit of ‘ring rust’ I had to shake off. But I definitely feel like I got a dominant win, so I was happy with that at least.”
The reigning champion was fully aware of his 29-year-old opponent’s skills.
Previously, the duo clashed with each other in 2020 and 2021. Leon won the first match, while Ruotolo levelled the score by submitting him the following year.
Now, the contest is over, and Ruotolo has nothing but respect for his Canadian opponent.
“Dante’s been in the game for a long time. He’s a seasoned veteran, and he’s got wins over some of the best in the world. After three matches like that, you can’t help but have a lot of respect for the guy – win, lose, or draw. And he’s a cool guy,” Tye said.
“Before the match, he’s obviously your biggest enemy, and after he’s normal, he’s cool. I got nothing but respect for Dante, he’s a cool guy.”
Tye’s twin brother Kade Ruotolo is the ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion. Both have remained unbeatable so far in ONE Championship.
In the end Tye revealed why it is so hard to beat him, saying, “There are thousands of techniques. It’s really hard to master it. Nobody will ever master jiu-jitsu. But I feel like my brother and I have a pretty good head start.”
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