He may walk around at around 165 pounds and have a funny mustache, but Garry Tonon is one of the most consistently dangerous submission grapplers in the world heading into his bout at Submission Underground 3 on Sunday, January 29, in Portland, Oregon.

This New Jersey kid, who received the "most coachable athlete" award back in his junior high school wrestling team, is the first person to make fun of himself for any shortcomings.

Watch Submission Underground 3 on Sunday, January 29, LIVE on FloGrappling

He publicly calls himself "an angry midget" in comparison to the muscled, bronzed stars of the jiu-jitsu scene, and his Instagram is full of photoshops that show he couldn't care less about maintaining a carefully crafted public image. 

But behind the jokes and the tomfoolery burns a fire that has fueled a career of undeniable success. 

 

Much like a carnival wrestler taking on all comers, Tonon is a challenge match fighter. Except instead of waiting for people to challenge him, Tonon has made a name for himself by actively seeking out the most dangerous and fearsome grapplers for his opponents. 

He's faced and beaten the likes of Gilbert "Durinho" Burns, Masakazu Imanari, Ralek Gracie, Marcin Held, Dustin Akbari, Enrico Cocco, and more. 

He's a four-time EBI champion at three weight categories and an IBJJF World no-gi brown belt champion. 

Who hit the Super Duck better? Garry Tonon or Jon Jones? 

His original match for SUG 3 at Roseland Theater was against Hector Lombard, the powerful Olympic judoka and MMA fighter who has snapped people's legs in grappling competitions. 

When Lombard pulled out of the bout, Tonon was then slated to face Chael Sonnen, who was willing to step up and do what many others weren't. But Bellator put the nix on that idea due to Sonnen's contract with the promotion. 

That means Tonon will instead take on Antonio Carlos Jr., aka "Cara de Sapato," a UFC fighter who has an incredible resume of wins over top Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes, such as... 
• Bernardo Faria (twice, by submission and by points) 
• Romulo Barral (twice by points) 
• Leandro Lo (twice, by submission and by points) 

My opponent in @SUG_Grappling "Shoe Face" @acjrc_sapato 's future resume. #tononvsshoeface #teamtonon #mustache #merica #ironsheik pic.twitter.com/FoCqHkcoaA

— Garry Tonon (@Garry_Tonon) January 25, 2017

Tonon has already predicted he'll win by "flying camel clutch." Jokes aside, this is a serious test for young Tonon. 

This isn't just about money. It isn't about awards or accomplishments... This is about Garry Tonon wanting to take on the world and tap out everyone in his way. 

Watch Garry Tonon at Submission Underground 3, which goes down Sunday, January 29, live on FloGrappling. Now available on Roku and Apple TV 4 -- download the FloSports app today.

Liked this post? Check out some of these: 
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• Dillon Danis and Danaher Death Squad Almost Come To Blows At ADCC Trials
• Is Garry Tonon The Most Talented Submission Grappler Right Now? 
• Relive Garry Tonon's Rise To The Top Of The World Of Sub-Only Jiu-Jitsu

Watch our feature documentary, Garry Tonon: Takeover