Dante Leon is on a mission to earn another shot at the top after falling short in his last title match…
And now, he returns to action against Kenta Iwamoto at ONE Fight Night 42 on April 10, looking to move one step closer to gold!
Leon previously submitted Iwamoto at the 2023 AIGA Champions League – but under a completely different ruleset, as emphasized by him:
We fought in a different organization. It was three five-minute rounds with points awarded, a very different ruleset from ONE. I was able to submit him in the third round.
There’s going to be a different challenge here.
Leon understands that ONE’s single 10-minute round demands urgency:
I obviously have to get to work a little bit quicker.
You have to be able to get the job done within those 10 minutes rather than rely on the last five-minute round.
He also refuses to rely on past results, recognizing his opponent’s growth:
That match was a while ago. I know Kenta has gotten better.
It’s very foolish to bring what happened last time to the front of your mind.I’m sure he feels like he can give a better performance, and he wants to redeem himself.
And with respect to that, I have to show up and be better.
But beyond this matchup, his motivation runs deeper.
His loss to Tye Ruotolo still lingers.
That experience has sharpened his focus and reinforced his ultimate goal:
I’m here because I want the title. It’s the most exclusive title in the entire world of submission grappling.
There is no more coveted, respected, or badass-looking championship belt than ONE Championship’s.Every time I’ve been in an organization, my goal is to prove that I’m the best. I’ve done that everywhere else I’ve competed except ONE Championship.
And now that I’m here for the long haul, I want to make that happen.
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