Mikey Musumeci has been nothing however perfection in his run with ONE Championship.
The American grappler is the inaugural and reigning ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion and holds an ideal 4-0 file within the promotion.
‘Darth Rigatoni’ made his ONE Championship debut in April 2022 and has since run by way of everybody that the promotion put in entrance of him.
The legendary Masakazu Imanari, Cleber Sousa, Gantumur Bayanduuren, and most not too long ago Osamah Almarwai all fell sufferer to the power of Musumeci’s submission holds.
Whereas his spotless file does maintain a ton of weight, his victories will at all times differ from the spectacular to the otherworldly.
That mentioned, we’re right here to rank Musumeci’s run and look again at his good run in ONE Championship to date.
#4. Cleber Sousa
Mikey Musumeci was put in a historic place heading into ONE on Prime Video 2 towards previous rival Cleber Sousa.
The pair already squared off towards each other practically 5 years earlier than their fateful encounter for the ONE flyweight submission grappling world title. Sousa took the win towards Musumeci of their first assembly within the 2017 IBJFF Pan American Championship’s gi class.
Musumeci avenged that loss, although, only a month later within the 2017 Abu Dhabi World Professional. Their assembly contained in the circle in the end gave them the chance to interrupt that stalemate, in addition to battle one another for a bit of historical past.
With the match carrying a lot historical past behind it, Musumeci labored his hardest to safe a spotlight reel submission.
Sousa, although, was far too intelligent to fall for his previous rival’s tips.
However, Musumeci mounted a lot offense that Sousa ultimately acquired himself locked in a few holds.
In the end it was ‘Darth Rigatoni’s fixed pursuit of a end, in addition to an total extra aggressive sport, that earned him the choice win to change into the inaugural ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion.
#3. Gantumur Bayanduuren
After outsmarting his previous rival Cleber Sousa for inaugural gold, Mikey Musumeci’s first world title protection was arrange for the beginning of ONE Championship’s 2023 calendar at ONE Combat Night time 6.
Standing throughout Musumeci was Mongolian fighter Gantumur Bayanduuren.
Musumeci knew that Bayanduuren was going to be a tricky opponent, however he didn’t gauge simply how robust the Fight Sambo world champion could be.
Proper from the opening bell, Musumeci hunted Bayanduuren’s legs and ultimately slapped in his signature “Mikey Lock”. The American star cranked as laborious as he might to power Bayanduuren to submit, however the Mongolian star fought by way of all of it.
Bayanduuren was beneath Musumeci’s management all through the match that he barely had any offense. Whereas his hardest and grit had been admirable, his averse perspective in the direction of tapping out in the end value him.
Musumeci ended up retaining the ONE flyweight submission grappling world title through unanimous determination, whereas Bayanduuren was rushed to the hospital after struggling a number of accidents to his leg.
#2. Masakazu Imanari
Mikey Musumeci was one of many most-hyped athletes to ever make his debut in ONE Championship.
A five-time BJJ world champion earlier than signing with ONE Championship, Musumeci knew that he had his work would minimize out for him the second he made the stroll to the circle.
Musumeci, although, made positive that every one the hype was warranted.
Dealing with off towards Japanese legend Masakazu Imanari, Musumeci near-guaranteed that his debut match at ONE 156 could be one thing to recollect.
Musumeci instantly pulled guard to primarily forestall Imanari from utilizing his trademark leg transition, the aptly named Imanari Roll.
The pair would commerce leg lock makes an attempt within the first couple of minutes till Musumeci calmly handed and took mount place. One other cross and Musumeci discovered himself taking Imanari’s again to take the medical rear-naked choke submission win.
#1. Osamah Almarwai
This may occasionally appear to be recency bias, however make no mistake, Mikey Musumeci’s victory over Osamah Almarwai was actually otherworldly.
Musumeci fought in the USA for the primary time since signing with ONE Championship and promptly placed on a present in entrance of his dwelling followers.
‘Darth Rigatoni’ additionally had the proper opponent in Osamah Almarwai. The 2 are Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizards who’re absolutely able to placing on a high-octane present that will pull in even essentially the most informal of viewers.
Almarwai had a stellar run in 2022 whereby he turned an IBJJ No-Gi world champion, however Musumeci is simply one other beast altogether.
Musumeci was aggressive proper from the beginning and rapidly had Almarwai beneath his management. The reigning ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion slapped in a good leg lock early on, however the Yemeni star proved too gutsy for the submission maintain.
After making a cross to take Almarwai’s again, it didn’t take lengthy for Musumeci to sneak in and slap in a rear-naked choke for the submission win.