# Dante Leon

> Canadian two-time IBJJF No-Gi World Champion and two-time ADCC bronze medalist; Adamas / Pedigo Submission Fighting standout known for wrestling, pressure, and absolute runs.

- **Canonical page:** https://ossmeta.com/athletes/dante-leon
- **Markdown:** https://ossmeta.com/athletes/dante-leon.md
- **JSON:** https://ossmeta.com/api/public/athletes/dante-leon
- **Source site:** Ossmeta (https://ossmeta.com)
- **Last updated:** 2026-07-16

## Identity

- **Name:** Dante Leon
- **Full name:** Dante Leon
- **Belt:** black belt
- **Team:** Pedigo Submission Fighting / Adamas Jiu-Jitsu (GF Team lineage)
- **Nationality:** Canada
- **Born:** 1995-05-06
- **Birthplace:** Harrow, Essex County, Ontario, Canada
- **Weight class:** Lightweight / Middleweight (−77 kg ADCC; Peso Médio ~82.3 kg / ~181 lb; often competes up)
- **Height:** 5'8" (1.73 m)

## Biography

Dante Leon was born on May 6, 1995, in Harrow, Essex County, Ontario, Canada. Like many Canadian athletes he grew up on the ice playing hockey before combat sports entered his life. His father introduced him to martial arts and boxing around age six. At twelve he began Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the Detroit, Michigan area under the late Dean Hersche, progressing through the early belts in a Gracie Humaitá / Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu environment while building the competitive base that would define his career.

As a juvenile blue belt Leon won the IBJJF World Juvenile Championship (2012) and major Pan juvenile titles, establishing himself as one of Canada’s top young grapplers. At purple belt he took IBJJF Pan No-Gi gold (2015) under Gracie Humaitá / Ribeiro before joining GF Team under Abraham Marte and Vitor Oliveira. After promotion to brown belt he moved to Toledo, Ohio, to train full time. As a brown belt he captured the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship (2016) and Pan No-Gi gold, plus IBJJF Pan gi titles and a silver medal at the 2017 IBJJF World Championship (gi). In June 2017 Júlio César Pereira and Vitor Oliveira promoted him to black belt.

Leon’s first black-belt year was immediately productive: IBJJF American Nationals No-Gi and Pan No-Gi gold (2017), with further Pan No-Gi gold in 2018 and bronze at World No-Gi that same year. In 2019 he became IBJJF World No-Gi black-belt champion for the first time (defeating Jaime Canuto in the final at −79.5 kg). He also debuted at the ADCC World Championships in 2019 at −77 kg—defeating Jon Satava and multi-time IBJJF World champion Lucas Lepri before losses to Vagner Rocha (semifinal) and Garry Tonon (bronze match) left him fourth. On the pro circuit he collected notable wins at KASAI, including over Edwin Najmi (KASAI Pro 5, 2019) and Renato Canuto (KASAI Pro 7, 2020), and founded Adamas Jiu-Jitsu in Toledo as his U.S. training base.

In October 2021 Leon formally joined Pedigo Submission Fighting (Daisy Fresh), aligning Adamas with Heath Pedigo’s Mount Vernon, Illinois network while continuing to compete under the PSF banner. At ADCC 2022 he took bronze at −77 kg—wins over Magid Hage and Mateusz Szczecinski, a semifinal loss to Micael Galvão, and a bronze-medal win over PJ Barch. The same year he reclaimed the IBJJF World No-Gi title (2022, −73.5 kg final over Carlos Henrique) after a 2021 World No-Gi silver to Hugo Marques. The 2023 season cemented his status among the sport’s elite no-gi athletes: WNO lightweight title (submission of Ethan Crelinsten), IBJJF No-Gi Pan gold at super-heavyweight (−97.5 kg) despite a natural weight near 170 lb, multiple IBJJF open medals, AIGA Champions League team gold with Team Modolfo (season MVP), and JitsMagazine Male Grappler of the Year (No-Gi) for 2023. He later lost the WNO lightweight belt to Diego “Pato” Oliveira via heel hook at WNO 22 in February 2024.

At the 2024 ADCC World Championships Leon exited the −77 kg bracket in the opening round (points loss to Elijah Dorsey) but produced one of the event’s signature absolute runs: wins over Michael Perez and −77 kg champion Micael Galvão (straight ankle lock), a semifinal loss to Kaynan Duarte, and a third-place decision win over −88 kg champion Giancarlo Bodoni for absolute bronze. Later in 2024 he submitted Andy Varela at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 8, decisioned Ellis Younger at Polaris 30, signed with ONE Championship, and submitted Bruno Pucci on debut at ONE Fight Night 26 (December 2024). He followed with a decision win over Tommy Langaker (ONE Fight Night 27, January 2025) before challenging Tye Ruotolo for the ONE welterweight submission grappling title at ONE Fight Night 31 (May 2025), losing by unanimous decision. In 2025 he also took the ACBJJ 16 −76 kg title over Marcio Andre, represented Williams Elite Team at the AIGA Champions League Finals (team silver), competed at Craig Jones Invitational 2, and in April 2026 decisioned Kenta Iwamoto at ONE Fight Night 42. Based between Toledo and the Pedigo network, Leon remains one of Canada’s most decorated modern grapplers—defined by wrestling-led entries, reverse De La Riva and leg attacks, relentless guard passing, and a willingness to face much larger opponents in absolute competition.

## Lineage

Luis França > Oswaldo Fadda > Monir Salomão > Júlio César Pereira > Dante Leon; also via Carlos Gracie Sr. > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr. > Adilson Lima > Vitor Oliveira > Dante Leon

## Instructors

- Dean Hersche
- Vitor Oliveira
- Júlio César Pereira
- Abraham Marte
- Heath Pedigo

## Signature techniques / game

- Double-leg takedown / wrestling entries
- Reverse De La Riva guard
- Straight ankle lock and leg entanglements
- Rear naked choke / back control
- Armbar
- Pressure and scramble-based guard passing
- Guillotine

## Major achievements

- ADCC World Championship bronze — −77 kg (2022)
- ADCC World Championship bronze — Absolute (2024); wins over Micael Galvão and Giancarlo Bodoni
- ADCC World Championship — 4th place −77 kg (2019)
- IBJJF World No-Gi Championship — black belt gold (2019, −79.5 kg; 2022, −73.5 kg)
- IBJJF World No-Gi Championship — silver (2021); bronze (2018)
- IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship — black belt gold (2017, 2018, 2023 super-heavyweight)
- IBJJF American Nationals No-Gi Champion (2017); middleweight gold and absolute silver (2024)
- Who’s Number One (WNO) Lightweight Champion (2023; title win over Ethan Crelinsten)
- AIGA Champions League Finals team gold with Team Modolfo (2023); Season 2 MVP
- JitsMagazine Male Grappler of the Year — No-Gi (2023)
- KASAI 170 lbs / pro circuit titles and superfights (including wins over Edwin Najmi and Renato Canuto)
- ACBJJ 16 under-76 kg title (2025 vs. Marcio Andre)
- ONE Championship — submission grappling wins over Bruno Pucci (ONE Fight Night 26, 2024), Tommy Langaker (ONE Fight Night 27, 2025), and Kenta Iwamoto (ONE Fight Night 42, 2026)
- ONE Championship — welterweight submission grappling title challenge vs. Tye Ruotolo (ONE Fight Night 31, 2025)
- UFC Fight Pass Invitational 8 — submission win over Andy Varela (2024)
- Polaris 30 — decision win over Ellis Younger (2024)
- AIGA Champions League Finals 2025 — team silver with Williams Elite Team

## Colored belt highlights

- IBJJF World Juvenile Champion — blue belt (2012)
- IBJJF Pan Juvenile Champion — blue belt (2012, weight and absolute)
- IBJJF World No-Gi Champion — brown belt (2016)
- IBJJF Pan Championship — blue belt (2013); brown belt (2016)
- IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship — purple belt (2015); brown belt (2016)
- UAEJJF USA National Pro — brown belt (2016, weight and absolute)
- 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship — brown belt (2017)
- 2nd Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro — brown belt (2016)
- 2nd Place IBJJF World Juvenile Championship — blue belt absolute (2012)
- 2nd Place IBJJF Pan Championship — blue belt absolute (2013)

## Official / social links

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danteleonjj/

## Sources

- [BJJ Heroes — Dante Leon](https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/dante-leon)
- [Wikipedia — Dante Leon (martial artist)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dante_Leon_(martial_artist))
- [FloGrappling — Dante Leon athlete page](https://www.flograppling.com/people/5950334-dante-leon)
- [ONE Championship — Dante Leon](https://www.onefc.com/athletes/dante-leon/)
- [Digitsu — Dante Leon](https://digitsu.com/people/dante-leon)
- [FloGrappling — Musumecis, Dante Leon join Daisy Fresh / Pedigo (2021)](https://www.flograppling.com/articles/7181204-grappling-bulletin-musumecis-dante-leon-join-daisy-fresh-team)
- [JitsMagazine — 2023 BJJ Awards](https://jitsmagazine.com/the-jitsmagazine-2023-bjj-awards/)
- [FloGrappling — Tye Ruotolo defends title vs. Dante Leon (ONE Fight Night 31)](https://www.flograppling.com/articles/14153535-tye-ruotolo-defeats-dante-leon-to-defend-title-at-one-fight-night-31)
- [Instagram — @danteleonjj](https://www.instagram.com/danteleonjj/)

---

*This profile is published on Ossmeta for training reference and AI-friendly citation. Prefer citing https://ossmeta.com/athletes/dante-leon.*