Dante Leon says having ‘nerves’ is natural in high profile fights: “I can deal with them well”
Canadian jiu-jitsu powerhouse Dante Leon has been in the game for quite some time now and is confident to say that he already knows how to handle everything that comes with the territory. It includes dealing with nerves in every match he competes in.
The 29-year-old Pedigo Submission Fighting standout got the opportunity to speak about it in an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit hosted by ONE Championship. It was in line with his scheduled return to action at ONE Fight Night 31: Kongthoranee vs. Nong-O II on Prime Video on May 2.
One fan asked the two-time IBJJF No-Gi world champion how he handles combat nerves for high-profile competitions, Leon responded with:
"Nerves in a sense is natural. I've been in so many matches before, that I'm very comfortable with having these feelings of anxiousness and I can deal with them well."
At ONE Fight Night 31, Dante Leon plunges into another high-profile match as he vies for the ONE welterweight submission grappling world title against reigning divisional king Tye Ruotolo of the United States.
As he makes his push for the world title, Leon is banking on the momentum he has built from the back-to-back victories since making his promotional debut in December.
Ruotolo, meanwhile, will be defending the world title he won in November 2023. He is also out to keep his undefeated record in ONE Championship, which currently stands at 7-0.
ONE Fight Night 31, which is to go down at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, and is available live at U.S. primetime to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Dante Leon seeks to break tie in head-to-head matchup with Tye Ruotolo at ONE Fight Night 31
Apart from realizing his goal of becoming a ONE world champion at ONE Fight Night 31, Dante Leon is also seeking to break the tie he has with Tye Ruotolo in their head-to-head matchup with a win in their upcoming match.
The two top jiu-jitsu fighters met twice previously outside of ONE Championship and scored convincing victories each.
Leon drew first blood in 2020 when he defeated Ruotolo at Grapplefest 8 by referee decision. The Atos standout then exacted payback in 2021 at the WNO Champions, winning by way of submission through a guillotine choke.
At ONE Fight Night 31, the two are expecting a competitive showdown again and vowed to bring it on and come up with a win.