Mikey Musumeci has been not anything however perfection in his run with ONE Championship.
The American grappler is the inaugural and reigning ONE flyweight submission grappling global champion and holds an ideal 4-0 report within the promotion.
‘Darth Rigatoni’ made his ONE Championship debut in April 2022 and has since run thru everybody that the promotion installed entrance of him.
The mythical Masakazu Imanari, Cleber Sousa, Gantumur Bayanduuren, and maximum lately Osamah Almarwai all fell sufferer to the drive of Musumeci’s submission holds.
Whilst his spotless report does grasp a ton of weight, his victories will at all times range from the impressive to the otherworldly.
That stated, we’re right here to rank Musumeci’s run and glance again at his best run in ONE Championship thus far.
#4. Cleber Sousa
Mikey Musumeci was once installed a ancient place heading into ONE on Top Video 2 towards outdated rival Cleber Sousa.
The pair already squared off towards one some other just about 5 years earlier than their fateful come across for the ONE flyweight submission grappling global name. Sousa took the win towards Musumeci of their first assembly within the 2017 IBJFF Pan American Championship’s gi class.
Musumeci avenged that loss, despite the fact that, only a month later within the 2017 Abu Dhabi Global Professional. Their assembly throughout the circle in the end gave them the chance to damage that stalemate, in addition to struggle every different for a work of historical past.
With the fit sporting such a lot historical past in the back of it, Musumeci labored his toughest to safe a spotlight reel submission.
Sousa, despite the fact that, was once a ways too artful to fall for his outdated rival’s tips.
However, Musumeci fastened such a lot offense that Sousa sooner or later were given himself locked in a few holds.
In the long run it was once ‘Darth Rigatoni’s consistent pursuit of a end, in addition to an general extra competitive recreation, that earned him the verdict win to turn into the inaugural ONE flyweight submission grappling global champion.
#3. Gantumur Bayanduuren
After outsmarting his outdated rival Cleber Sousa for inaugural gold, Mikey Musumeci’s first global name protection was once arrange for the beginning of ONE Championship’s 2023 calendar at ONE Struggle Night time 6.
Status throughout Musumeci was once Mongolian fighter Gantumur Bayanduuren.
Musumeci knew that Bayanduuren was once going to be a difficult opponent, however he didn’t gauge simply how tricky the Battle Sambo global champion could be.
Proper from the outlet bell, Musumeci hunted Bayanduuren’s legs and sooner or later slapped in his signature “Mikey Lock”. The American superstar cranked as laborious as he may to drive Bayanduuren to publish, however the Mongolian superstar fought thru it all.
Bayanduuren was once underneath Musumeci’s keep watch over all the way through the fit that he slightly had any offense. Whilst his hardest and grit had been admirable, his averse perspective against tapping out in the end value him.
Musumeci ended up protecting the ONE flyweight submission grappling global name by means of unanimous choice, whilst Bayanduuren was once rushed to the health facility after struggling more than one accidents to his leg.
#2. Masakazu Imanari
Mikey Musumeci was once one of the crucial most-hyped athletes to ever make his debut in ONE Championship.
A five-time BJJ global champion earlier than signing with ONE Championship, Musumeci knew that he had his paintings would narrow out for him the instant he made the stroll to the circle.
Musumeci, despite the fact that, made certain that all of the hype was once warranted.
Going through off towards Eastern legend Masakazu Imanari, Musumeci near-guaranteed that his debut fit at ONE 156 could be one thing to keep in mind.
Musumeci instantly pulled guard to actually save you Imanari from the usage of his trademark leg transition, the aptly named Imanari Roll.
The pair would industry leg lock makes an attempt within the first few minutes till Musumeci lightly handed and took mount place. Any other cross and Musumeci discovered himself taking Imanari’s again to take the scientific rear-naked choke submission win.
#1. Osamah Almarwai
This will likely look like recency bias, however make no mistake, Mikey Musumeci’s victory over Osamah Almarwai was once actually otherworldly.
Musumeci fought in the US for the primary time since signing with ONE Championship and promptly placed on a display in entrance of his house enthusiasts.
‘Darth Rigatoni’ additionally had the very best opponent in Osamah Almarwai. The 2 are Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizards who’re totally in a position to placing on a high-octane display that might pull in even probably the most informal of audience.
Almarwai had a stellar run in 2022 in which he was an IBJJ No-Gi global champion, however Musumeci is solely some other beast altogether.
Musumeci was once competitive proper from the beginning and briefly had Almarwai underneath his keep watch over. The reigning ONE flyweight submission grappling global champion slapped in a decent leg lock early on, however the Yemeni superstar proved too gutsy for the submission grasp.
After creating 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.