Read about Mikey Musumeci’s victories over MMA superstars Jarred Brooks and Shinya Aoki and his future challenges in the world of no-gi grappling. Discover how these wins added significance to his career in ONE Championship.
| Event | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| August | Jarred Brooks | Won by submission (triangle armbar) |
| October | Shinya Aoki | Won by submission (inside heel hook/Aoki Lock) |
Mikey Musumeci reflects on his back-to-back wins over MMA superstars and shares his future plans in the no-gi discipline. He aims to challenge himself against Gabriel Sousa and Diogo Reis, two highly regarded BJJ black belts. Musumeci believes that grappling with them will enhance his progress in no-gi grappling.
2023 turned out to be an eventful year for ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion Mikey Musumeci. He had notable wins against MMA superstars Jarred Brooks and Shinya Aoki , which added significance to his career in ONE Championship.
In August, Musumeci faced strawweight MMA world champion Brooks in a submission grappling super fight. He successfully defended his world title by submitting Brooks with a triangle armbar.
Two months later, the Italian-American champion took on Japanese legend Aoki in an openweight grappling showdown. Once again, Musumeci emerged victorious, this time by submitting Aoki with an inside heel hook, also known as the Aoki Lock.
Reflecting on his back-to-back wins, Musumeci shared in an interview with ONE Championship that these victories were important milestones in his career. He mentioned, "I moved to Thailand, and I fought Jarred Brooks, and I submitted him. I had a nice performance there. I had my fight with Shinya, and now, I’m finally healthy again."
Prior to his wins over Brooks and Aoki, Musumeci successfully defended his world title twice. In January, he defeated Mongolian challenger Gantumur Bayanduuren by unanimous decision. In May, he submitted Yemeni Osamah Almarwai with a rear-naked choke.
Looking ahead, Musumeci is eager to continue challenging himself in the world of no-gi grappling. He has his sights set on facing BJJ black belts Gabriel Sousa and Diogo Reis in no-gi showdowns. Musumeci believes that grappling with these talented athletes will further enhance his progress in the no-gi discipline.
In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Musumeci expressed his admiration for Sousa and Reis, stating, "Those two guys, they mean a lot to me, especially for my career in no-gi. You know, my career in gi, it speaks for itself. I won every title. I beat the top people. In the gi, my credibility is complete."
While gi and no-gi grappling share similarities in techniques, they differ in tactics. No-gi grappling relies more on wrestling-based grips, body mechanics, and hand positioning. Sousa and Reis are highly regarded BJJ athletes who have achieved success in prestigious tournaments such as the ADCC World Submission Fighting and the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s (IBJJF) World, Pan, and European Open Championships.
