Following an evening of exciting matches, Who’s Number One concluded with what may have been one of the most fast-paced, entertaining grappling matches of the year, this time between Garry Tonon and Dante Leon.
After a brief guard pull from Leon, the fighters returned to the feet, and Tonon then pulled guard. Following another return to the feet, Leon scooped up a single-leg, but couldn’t keep Tonon down. Though both competitors tried to capitalize on a creative scramble that saw them tumbling all over the match, neither was able to gain an advantageous position for a significant amount of time. After returning to the center of the mat, Leon briefly worked to pass Tonon’s guard before lifting him off the stage for a takedown attempt, but Tonon quickly recovered as Leon tried to take the back. Leon managed to secure an arm around Tonon’s chin, but Tonon escaped and nearly managed to take Leon’s back himself.
Following another fast-paced scramble, Tonon worked to attack Leon’s leg, though Leon was able to defend. Tonon then worked on passing Leon’s guard before the position was reversed and Tonon again worked on attacking the feet. Tonon twisted Leon to the ground and nearly managed to secure a rear naked choke, but Leon worked his way out.
Leon then worked on playing guard, then brought the match back to the feet with about three minutes left to go. The athletes quickened the pace, tumbling across the stage to try to gain positional advantages, and Tonon was nearly able to lock on a head-arm choke before Leon was able to work his way out. Tonon then went for a straight ankle lock that had his opponent wincing before Leon was able to get up to his feet and defend against it. As the final seconds of the match wound down, Leon also went for a foot lock briefly, and the two nearly grappled themselves off the stage as the clock ran out just in time.
Tonon was declared the winner via unanimous decision.
Full Results:
[wsc id=”141670″] Fighters Pay $51,330
| -Black Belts | Submission/Decision |
| Garry Lee Tonon defeats Dante Leon | Decision |
| Roberto Abreu defeats Lucas Barbosa | Unanimous decision |
| Vagner Rocha defeats Ronaldo Junior | Split Decision |
| Elisabeth Clay Submits Maggie Grindatti | Gogoplata (SOTN) |
| Junny E Ocasio defeats Gabe Tuttle | Decision |
| Don Westman defeats Parker Lapp | Armbar |
| Steve Hargett defeats Andrew Franco | Decision |
| Chris Orozoco Submits Brian Pierce | Heel Hook |
| André Porfírio Submits Hygor Beck | Decision |
| Joseph Baize defeats Eddie Wittern | Heel Hook |
| Joe Dierkhising Submits Nicholas Greene | Submission |
| Travis Moore defeats Seth Daniels | Heel Hook |
| -Brown Belts | |
| Brad Schneider Submits Nicholas Spacek | Rear Naked Choke from Crucifix (SOTN) |
| Joey Velasques defeats Dani Allen | Split Decision |
| Daniel Marc Calvert Submits James Gifford | Heel Hook |
| Matt Cox defeats Michael Winters | Decision |
| Stefanie Leigh Kopacz Submits Julia Ottolino | Heel Hook |
| Justin Renick defeats Gerson Alef | Decision |
| Michael Lugo defeats Jorge Castaneda | Decision |
| William Watts Submits Christopher Kuntschik | Triangle |
| Manuel Aguilar Submits Brandon Gutierrez | Straight Foot Lock |
| -Purple Belts | |
| Purple Belts Cameron Mellott defeats Grayson Henley | Decision (Becomes Bantam Weight Champ) |
| Andrew Tackett Submits Dante Muschamp | Rear Naked Choke (Becomes Welter Weight Champ) |
| William Zach Lowery Submits Jorden Saenz | Kesa Gatame |
| Jorge Valladares defeats Mike Graves | Decision |
| Daishi Goto defeats Francisco Papasidero | Decision |
| Steven Ramos defeats Alejandro Wajner | Decision (FOTN) |
| David Weintraub vs Nicholas Fernando Martinez | Split Decision |
| Jacob Couch Submits Ramiro Leon | Heel Hook (SOTN) |
| Lauren Sears defeats Jessie Crane | Split Decision |
| Mike Rakshan Submits Luke Perry | Leg Lock |
| -Blue Belts | |
| Brayden Wolfe defeats Noah Gutierrez | Decision |
| Stephanie Taylor Submits Britten Dey Bailey | Heel Hook |
| James Regina defeats Cody Dixon | Decision |
| Taylor Clarke Submits Brittany Baize | Armbar (SOTN) |
| Nathan Segal defeats Lewis Mclendon | Rear Naked Choke (FOTN) |
| Blake Anthony Carter Submits Zahariah O’Malley | Rear Naked Choke |
| -Teens | |
| Helena Crevar Submits Mackenzie Biasi | Americana |
