Mikey Musumeci

Mikey Musumeci Says IBJJF Rules Encourage Strategy Over Fighting — 'It's So Easy to Lose'

"Nobody actually wants to fight." That's Mikey Musumeci on IBJJF competition. Not a disgruntled blue belt venting after losing on advantages at a regional.

Mikey Musumeci Announced He Was Going Full Dagestani—Then Finished His Title Defense the Same Way He Always Does

Mikey Musumeci made one of the stranger career announcements in recent grappling history. Sixteen days before his title defense against Kevin Dantzler on May 16th, the world's most dominant leg locker went on record saying he was essentially retiring from leg locks.

Mikey Musumeci Is Abandoning His Leg Locks to Train Like a Dagestani — Before the Title Defense He Already Has

Mikey Musumeci won the UFC BJJ bantamweight title by footlocking Shay Montague in round two. He'd prefer you forgot that.

Dagestani Mikey Is Real: Musumeci Rewired His Game Before the Title Defense

Mikey Musumeci announced he was done pulling guard. Specifically, he announced he was from Dagestan now.

Mikey Musumeci Defended His Title While Planning a Dagestan MMA Debut

The UFC BJJ world watched Mikey Musumeci do something that perfectly encapsulated the structural problem plaguing the bantamweight division: he prepared for a title defense while openly planning a wrestling pilgrimage to Russia. UFC BJJ 8 went down on May 21 at the UFC APEX in La

Owen Jones Calls Out Mikey Musumeci: 'He Doesn't Deserve to Be the Face of the Sport'

Owen Jones said it on The Charles Eoghan Experience podcast last summer, and nobody really answered him. "I just don't like that they're trying to make him the face of the sport.

Dagestani Mikey: From Staph to Heel Hook to Calling Out Tsarukyan, The Layers Of Irony Keep Stacking

The man they called a butt scooter is about to defend a UFC title. Mikey Musumeci — five-time IBJJF world champion, the best pure jiu-jitsu player at 125 pounds, and the human being specifically targeted by the UFC BJJ no-butt-scooting rule that the promotion quietly abandoned on

Mikey Musumeci's IBJJF Rant: 'Attacking Jiu-Jitsu' Is a Liability... Except When He's Attacking His Way to World Titles

When you're two weeks out from defending a UFC BJJ title under submission-only rules, but can't resist taking shots at the IBJJF's points system, you know you're dealing with Mikey Musumeci. The five-time IBJJF world champion turned UFC BJJ titleholder has never been shy about hi

Musumeci Says IBJJF Rules Punish Attacking. Drysdale Says Without IBJJF We'd Have 12-Year-Old Black Belts. Both Are Right.

The uncomfortable part is that both being right at the same time is the actual problem. Mikey Musumeci and Robert Drysdale made opposite-sounding arguments about IBJJF in the same week.

Mikey Musumeci Says IBJJF Punishes You For Actually Fighting — He Should Know, He Won Under Both Systems

Mikey Musumeci has five IBJJF world titles. He's the first American to win multiple black belt world championships at IBJJF Worlds.

Mikey Musumeci Says IBJJF Punishes You For Actually Winning #Shorts

#BJJ #JiuJitsu #Shorts Mikey Musumeci called out IBJJF's ruleset for penalizing submission attempts and rewarding defensive point-play. From the best grappler on the planet, that's not a complaint — it's a diagnosis. #Grappling #MartialArts

UFC BJJ Plans 14 Events in 2026 #Shorts

#BJJ #JiuJitsu #Shorts UFC BJJ is putting on 14 events in 2026 — more than double last year's output. Free on YouTube, sub-only, six weight classes of champions you actually know. While other grappling shows struggle for budget, this one just doubled down. Sources: - Stacked UF

Three Months Into The 'Catchweight' Superfight, UFC BJJ Still Can't Name The Weight #Shorts

#BJJ #JiuJitsu #Shorts UFC BJJ announced Tsarukyan vs Musumeci as a 'catchweight' superfight in February. Three months later, the specific number still isn't specified. Read the full article: https://bjjproblems.com/blogs/bjj-problems/ufc-bjj-three-months-catchweight-still-no-w

UFC BJJ 8 Card Locked, Miyao Not On It #Shorts

#BJJ #JiuJitsu #Shorts UFC BJJ 8 is locked. Musumeci defends the 135 title against a guy who just lost 13-0 at Pans, while Joao Miyao, a five-time world champ on the same roster, stays home. Sources: - UFC BJJ 8: Musumeci vs Dantzler Fight Card (UFC.com): https://www.ufc.com/ne

UFC BJJ 8 Books Musumeci Against A Man Who Lost 13-0 At Pans — Community Calls It 'Hydrogen Bomb vs Coughing Baby'

Mikey Musumeci is the most decorated grappler in UFC BJJ history. His next opponent lost 13-0 at Pans.

'Dagestani Mikey' Abandons Leg Locks For Wrestling — UFC BJJ 8 Matches Him Against A Man Who Lost 13-0 At Pans

Mikey Musumeci — the man who built an entire career on attacking feet — wants you to know that feet are so 2025. The UFC BJJ bantamweight champion has spent the last few months rebranding himself as "Dagestani Mikey," growing a chin-strap beard, training with UFC bantamweight con

UFC BJJ 8 Books Musumeci Against A Man Who Lost 13 #Shorts

#BJJ #JiuJitsu #Shorts UFC BJJ 8 pits five-time world champ Mikey Musumeci against a guy his own teammates tap at practice. The Tsarukyan superfight got shelved. The Paramount paywall is next. Sources: - UFC BJJ 8: Mikey Musumeci To Defend UFC BJJ Title Against Kevin Dantzler: h

'Dagestani Mikey' Abandons Leg Locks For Wrestling #Shorts

#BJJ #JiuJitsu #Shorts Mikey Musumeci rebranded himself 'Dagestani Mikey,' ditched leg locks, started training with Umar Nurmagomedov — and UFC BJJ rewarded him with a title defense against a black belt who lost 13-0 at Pans. Sources: - The Birth of 'Dagestani Mikey': Musumeci A

Dana White Approves Tsarukyan vs Musumeci: 'If Claudia Wants It Done, She'll Get It Done'

Tsarukyan vs Musumeci Officially Confirmed — First UFC Top-5 Contender vs Grappling Champion

Musumeci's Next Two Opponents: A Guy Purple Belts Tap, Then UFC's #2 Lightweight

Tsarukyan vs Musumeci Is Now Confirmed. One Weighs 155 Pounds. The Other Weighs 125. The Promotion Said 'Catchweight' And Moved On.

Mikey Musumeci Rebrands as 'Dagestani Mikey' After Training With Nurmagomedov

UFC BJJ Says 'No Butt-Scooting' While Their Champion Is Literally Mikey Musumeci