2020 WNO: Garry Tonon vs Dante Leon

Craig Jones & Gordon Ryan React To Missing WNO Due To COVID

Craig Jones & Gordon Ryan React To Missing WNO Due To COVID

Two of the best no-gi grapplers in the world were forced off the Who's Number One event due to contracting COVID-19. Here's how they responded.

Jul 28, 2020 by Hywel Teague
Craig Jones & Gordon Ryan React To Missing WNO Due To COVID
Two of the best no-gi grapplers in the world were forced off the Who's Number One event due to contracting COVID-19. Here's how they responded. 

Unlock this article, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

Two of the best no-gi grapplers in the world were forced off the Who's Number One event due to contracting COVID-19. Here's how they responded. 

Ryan had been scheduled to face off with Ronaldo Junior in a no time-limit, submission-only match. He revealed that he is in a high-risk group of contracting pneumonia due to chronic bronchitis. 

"I have been sidelined for roughly a week with my main issue being lack of appetite/food. I'm actually in one of the higher risk groups to develop pneumonia since I have very bad chronic bronchitis (my parents smoked around me when i was young). Even if I was over COVID-19 I felt it wasn't right to show up and compete for the fans without a proper training camp. Sorry to all the fans, to Flo, and most importantly, to Ronaldo Junior, who was ready and willing to compete."



Jones also out

Jones told us that was less stricken by the symptoms of COVID that his teammate, but still suffered congestion, body aches and sensitive skin. 

"Such a pain," he told us. "I was real hyped for a Hulk match."


New Main Event: Garry Tonon vs Dante Leon!

This matchup between the #2- and #4-ranked grapplers at 77kg slides into the main event slot. This is a rematch from the 2019 ADCC bronze medal match, in which Garry won by heel hook.

Since ADCC, both grapplers have looked extremely impressive. Garry dominated Davi Ramos at F2W and also submitted Queixinho by heelhook. Dante submitted Isaque Bahiense at F2W, defeated Renato Canuto at KASAI and won No-Gi Worlds. This match will be contested in a 15-minute F2W rules format. 

More Match Announcements Coming!

Our team is hard at work on replacements matches for WNO; stay tuned to FloGrappling for those impending announcements!