Mikey Musumeci continues to marvel on the buzz ONE Championship has created to additional put Brazilian jiu-jitsu on the map.
It’s an understatement to say that 2022 has been good to the multi-time grappling world champion. The newly-crowned ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion remains to be on cloud 9 after defeating Brazilian rival Cleber Sousa within the co-main occasion at ONE on Prime Video 2.
Within the post-fight interview at ONE on Prime Video 2, the 26-year-old star defined how the group is altering pre-conceived notions of Brazilian-jiu-jitsu as a non-spectator sport. The promotion does this by giving athletes the chance to showcase their skills on a world-renowned platform:
“I keep in mind telling all my mates [that] all 5 occasions that I gained [in] black belt [during] worlds was nonetheless like 10% of the publicity and recognition you get for successful one match in ONE. So it simply tells you the way massive this platform is, and what they’re doing for the athletes. You understand, all of us work so exhausting and practice so exhausting. So all these athletes deserve this recognition for a way exhausting they practice. And ONE is giving us a platform that we deserve. I am simply so grateful to be on this platform, and I thank Chatri a lot for this chance.”
On September 30, tens of millions of US subscribers tuned in to observe the grappling phenom compete for the inaugural ONE flyweight submission grappling championship. ‘Darth Rigatoni’ drew main fan curiosity and viral again in April by submitting grappling veteran Masakazu Imanari.
Mikey Musumeci remains to be in awe at the truth that the eye that his match with Imanari garnered was way more consideration within the mainstream media than all 5 of his IBJJF world title wins mixed.
Mikey Musumeci needs to share the mat with MMA icon Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson
Mikey Musumeci nonetheless needs to tug off one other submission end for his followers. Though he didn’t fairly get the outcome he needed with Cleber Sousa, he believes a grappling match with Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson could possibly be one for the historical past books.
Within the post-fight interview with Mitch Chilson, Mikey Musumeci stated:
“I do know me and him might deliver the MMA and jiu-jitsu followers collectively and it could be simply be a historic, unbelievable occasion. It will be an honor to step on the mat with him.”
Johnson was additionally topped this yr as the brand new ONE flyweight world champion in MMA after defeating former flyweight kingpin Adriano Moraes at ONE on Prime Video 1. In previous interviews, Johnson stated he’s wanting ahead to going through a former division king in Kairat ‘The Kazakh’ Akhmetov, who has accrued 5 consecutive wins during the last 4 years.
Though a grappling match may be the very last thing on his thoughts, ‘Mighty Mouse’ has by no means backed out of a chance to make historical past once more. Maybe enjoying the historical past card would possibly even inspire Johnson to simply accept Musumeci’s respectful callout that a lot sooner.