MMA: ONE Championship signs American grappling sensation Garry Tonon

Tonon is set to make his professional debut in ONE Championship, having signed an exclusive contract with the organization.

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion is a fixture in global grappling tournaments, and is widely-considered one of the best submission grapplers in history.

However, his first bout under the ONE Championship banner has yet to be announced.

In his reaction, the 26-year-old said that he is excited to begin his ONE Championship career, and to showcase his skills on the global stage.

“I am thrilled to be able to finally announce my arrival in ONE Championship. It is the natural evolution in my career as a grappler.

"I have achieved all that I have set out to do in the world of jiu-jitsu, and now I am ready to take on a new challenge," he said.

Meanwhile, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong described Tonon as an amazing individual with a long list of accolades in submission grappling.

"I have no doubt that his transition to the ONE Championship cage will be a successful one. Fans have a lot to look forward to when Garry finally makes his debut with us," he said.

Tonon made his first appearance inside the ONE Championship cage when he took on Japanese martial arts legend Shinya Aoki earlier this year, in the promotion’s first-ever Grappling Super-Match.