Dante Leon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | [1] Harrow, Ontario, Canada [1] | May 6, 1995 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 82.3 kg (181 lb; 12 st 13 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Division | Middleweight -82.3 kg (181.4 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fighting out of | Toledo, Ohio USA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Teacher(s) | Dean Hersche | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rank | BJJ black belt under Júlio César Pereira and Vitor Oliveira [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Dante Leon (born May 6, 1995) is a Canadian grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt competitor.
A multiple-time World and Pan No-Gi champion in the lower belts divisions, Leon is a two-time black belt IBJJF No-Gi World champion, three-time No-Gi Pan champion, American Nationals champion as well as a two-time ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship bronze medallist.
Leon was born on May 6, 1995, in Harrow, Essex County, Ontario, Canada. [1] He grew up playing ice hockey then was introduced to martial arts and boxing by his father when he was 6. [1] [3] Leon started Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) in Detroit, Michigan, from the age of 12. [1] [3] His first instructor was the late Dean Hersche. [1] As a blue belt Leon won the IBJJF World Juvenile Championship twice (2012, 2013) the IBJJF Pans Championship and the IBJJF Pans Juvenile Championship. [4]
After being promoted to purple belt Leon won the 2015 IBJJF Pans No-Gi Championship under the Gracie Humaitá/Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu team. [1] [3] Leon then joined GFTeam under Abraham Marte and Vitor Oliveira. After getting his brown belt, he moved to Toledo, Ohio, to train full time. [1] [3] As a brown belt Leon won the World No-Gi Championship as well as Pan No-Gi. In 2017 he won silver at the IBJJF World Championship. [4]
In June 2017, Leon was promoted to black belt by Júlio César Pereira and Oliveira, [1] that same year Leon won the American No-Gi Nationals and the IBJJF Pans No-Gi. [4] At the 2018 World No-Gi Championship, Leon won bronze after reaching the semi-finals before losing to Hugo Marques. [1] In 2019, he became black belt No-Gi World champion for the first time, after defeating Jaime Canuto 4x2 in the finals. [1]
Competing in the KASAI Elite Grappling Championships, Leon defeated Edwin Najmi via rear naked choke on April 6, 2019, during Kasai Pro 5. [1] [5] On February 1, 2020, at Kasai Pro 7, Leon defeated Renato Canuto via points. [1] [6]
In 2021, Leon finished second of No-Gi World after losing to Marques by referee decision in the final. [1] In October 2021, Leon announced he would be officially joining Pedigo Submission Fighting to compete under their banner. [2] [7]
At the 2022 ADCC World Championship, Leon defeated Magid Hage and Mateusz Szczecinski before losing to Micael Galvão in the semi-finals. [1] [8] He won the bronze medal match by defeating PJ Barch. [1] [8] In 2022 Leon became No-Gi World champion for the second time after defeating Carlos Henrique 2 points 0 in the final. [1]
On February 26, 2023, Leon won the middleweight division and the absolute division at the IBJJF Tampa International Open. [9] Leon was then booked to compete at Who's Number One 18: Meregali v Marinho on May 18, 2023, against Ruan Alvarenga. [10] Leon won the match, submitting Alvarenga with a rear-naked choke. [11] Leon competed in the IBJJF Indianapolis no gi Open on June 18, 2023, and won a gold medal in the medium-heavyweight division. [12]
Leon competed against Ethan Crelinsten for the vacant WNO lightweight title at Who's Number One 19 on August 10, 2023. [13] He won the match by submission and became the new WNO lightweight world champion. [14] Leon then entered the super-heavyweight division of the IBJJF No Gi Pan Championship 2023 on October 1, 2023, and won a gold medal. [15] Leon then won the no gi middleweight division at the IBJJF Nashville Fall Open 2023 on November 12, 2023. [16]
Leon represented Team Modolfo in the under 76kg division at AIGA Champions League Final 2023 on December 13 and 14. [17] He won his semi-final match by submission [18] and his final match by submission to help Team Modolfo win the tournament. [19] Leon was voted MVP of AIGA Season 2 as a result, [20] and later won 'Male Grappler of the Year (No Gi)' at the JitsMagazine BJJ Awards 2023. [21]
Leon was booked to defend his WNO lightweight title against Diego 'Pato' Oliveira at Who's Number One 22 on February 9, 2024. [22] He was submitted with a heel hook and lost the title. [23]
Leon competed in the IBJJF No Gi Absolute Grand Prix on February 29, 2024. [24] He beat Elder Cruz in the opening round before losing to eventual champion Kaynan Duarte in the semi-final. [25] He then won a gold medal in the middleweight division and a silver medal in the absolute division at the IBJJF No Gi American National Championship 2024 on June 29, 2024. [26]
Leon was then invited to compete in the 2024 ADCC World Championship on August 17-18, 2024. [27] He lost on points to Elijah Dorsey in the opening round. [28] Leon returned in the men's absolute division, where he beat Michael Perez and Micael Galvão before losing to Kaynan Duarte in the semi-final. He then beat Giancarlo Bodoni in the third-place match to win a bronze medal. [29]
Leon faced Andy Varela at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 8 on October 10, 2024. [30] He won the match by submission. [31]
Leon competed against Ellis Younger at Polaris 30 on November 2, 2024. [32] He won the match by decision. [33]
Leon then signed a contract to compete for ONE Championship from 2024 onwards. [34] He made his debut against Bruno Pucci at ONE Fight Night 26 on December 6, 2024 and won the match by submission. [35]
Leon faced Tommy Langaker at ONE Fight Night 27 on January 10, 2024. [36] He won the match via unanimous decision. [37]
Leon will now face Tye Ruotolo for the ONE Championship welterweight title at ONE Fight Night 31 on May 2, 2025. [38]
Main Achievements as black belt: [1]
Main Achievements as coloured belt: [1]
Main Achievements (juvenile divisions): [1]
Lineage 1: Kanō Jigorō → Mitsuyo Maeda → Luis França > Oswaldo Fadda→ Monir Salomão → Júlio César Pereira → Dante Leon
Lineage 2: Kanō Jigorō → Mitsuyo Maeda → Carlos Gracie Sr. → Helio Gracie → Carlos Gracie Jr. → Adilson Lima → Vitor Oliveira → Dante Leon