ONE Championship signs BJJ stars Cole Abate and Dante Leon 

ONE Championship’s submission grappling world has just been rocked by the arrival of two new superstars.   

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialists Cole Abate and Dante Leon enter ONE looking to follow in the footsteps of ONE submission grappling kings Kade and Tye Ruotolo.  

At only 19 years old, Abate has already competed at the highest levels of grappling. In fact, when he was only 16, he fought in the ADCC North American Trials before experiencing the ADCC World Championships for the first time.  

He also holds wins over profound names such as Geo “Freakazoid” Martinez and IBJJF World Champion Estevan “Giant Slayer” Martinez. What’s even more impressive is that the Texas native has only held a black belt for over a year.  

The youngster is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the sport already, and he has a huge future ahead of him. ONE Championship has changed the lives of many other submission grappling stars. Now, Abate is looking to be the next breakout grappler in the organization. 

Meanwhile, Leon holds two IBJJF World Titles and three IBJJF Pan-American crowns. On top of that, he’s also claimed gold in IBJJF no-gi. So he’s deadly and versatile in all areas.  

The Canadian star has never shied away from a challenge, either. Even if it is outside of his weight class. After winning a tournament at 155 pounds, Leon blew everyone away when he won gold in the IBJJF Pan-American Championship’s super-heavyweight division.  

There will be a wealth of grapplers for him to cement himself against. But given his flexibility, many expect Leon to remain busy against all comers in ONE.

New stars set to shake up ONE Championship’s submission grappling realm

The news of Cole Abate and Dante Leon signing with ONE has been music to the ears of submission grappling fans. 

The pair are certainly the most dangerous grapplers alive today. They have the skills and repertoire to become World Champions in the organization. So, fans expect to see their faces in 2025 as they look to mark their territory in the coming months.