Ali Akbar RosadyMikey Musumeci, widely regarded as one of the most dominant submission grapplers of his generation, successfully defended his bantamweight title at UFC BJJ 5 on Thursday night, before immediately setting his sights on a high-profile, cross-sport challenge against Arman Tsarukyan, the No. 2 ranked lightweight contender in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Musumeci’s victory over Shay Montague marked another milestone in his illustrious grappling career, though it concluded with a hint of dissatisfaction regarding his preferred game plan.
The event, presented under the UFC BJJ banner, featured several high-stakes grappling contests, with Musumeci’s bantamweight title defense headlining alongside a middleweight championship bout. Musumeci, known affectionately as "Darth Rigatoni" for his innovative and often unconventional style, entered the contest against Scotland’s Shay Montague with an expressed intent to deviate from his signature leg lock attacks. Prior to the bout, Musumeci had publicly stated his desire to showcase his wrestling prowess and top control, even adopting a "Dagestani chin strap" – a symbolic gesture often associated with the wrestling-heavy combat sports culture of Dagestan – to underline his commitment to this modified game plan.
The opening round of the bantamweight championship bout unfolded as a tactical stalemate. Montague, a grappler known for his agility and inverted guard positions, consistently sought leg entanglements, aiming to disrupt Musumeci’s top game. Musumeci, adhering to his declared strategy, maintained a defensive posture against these leg lock attempts, refusing to initiate his own characteristic lower-body submissions. This led to a period of positional probing rather than aggressive attacking from either competitor. Between rounds, a notable development occurred when Montague communicated to his corner that he had experienced a leg injury, suggesting a compromised physical state as he entered the second and final round.
As the second round commenced, Musumeci intensified his efforts to pass Montague’s guard. "Darth Rigatoni" demonstrated his technical proficiency by eventually navigating past Montague’s intricate guard, a significant achievement against an opponent described by Musumeci himself as "like a human pretzel." However, Montague’s resilience saw him regain a leg entanglement, briefly forcing Musumeci to disengage. It was in the waning moments of the second round that Musumeci, finding himself in a leg entanglement once more, identified an opening. With clinical precision, he transitioned into an ankle lock, eliciting a rapid tap from Montague and securing his title defense. The bout, which had started slowly and deliberately, concluded abruptly with Musumeci’s signature finishing ability.
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Despite the decisive victory, Musumeci expressed a degree of disappointment in his post-fight interview. "It’s a little bittersweet," Musumeci commented. "I wanted to do more passing. I think I passed him twice. But I wanted to finish in the pass. I felt like I got that foot lock really fast." His frustration stemmed from Montague’s strategic approach, which prioritized leg entanglements, thereby limiting Musumeci’s opportunities to execute his desired wrestling and guard passing sequences. "Shay’s guard is incredible, he’s like a human pretzel, so bendy. Eventually, I got through. I did play top this match, it was just fun for me working something new and just not finishing the match immediately. This match I wanted to do something new and be out there longer," he elaborated, acknowledging the challenge Montague presented while reaffirming his personal objective for the contest.
Musumeci’s professional grappling record, predominantly under the ONE Championship banner, showcases an impressive string of victories, solidifying his status as a multiple-time world champion and one of the sport’s pound-for-pound elite. His career has been defined by groundbreaking performances, particularly his mastery of leg locks, which have become a hallmark of his finishing repertoire. His consistent dominance has led him to seek new challenges, often hinting at a desire to test his skills beyond his established comfort zone.
It was this pursuit of novel challenges that led to Musumeci’s subsequent, unexpected callout. With the title defense concluded, Musumeci turned his attention to Arman Tsarukyan, the Armenian-Russian mixed martial artist who stands as the No. 2 lightweight in the world according to MMA Fighting’s global rankings. Tsarukyan, a formidable force in the UFC’s notoriously competitive lightweight division, recently secured a pivotal victory over former champion Charles Oliveira, placing him firmly in contention for a title shot against Islam Makhachev. His combat style is characterized by elite wrestling, powerful striking, and a relentless pace, making him one of the most well-rounded fighters in the sport.
The genesis of Musumeci’s challenge lay in a prior callout made by Tsarukyan. Tsarukyan had publicly challenged actor Tom Hardy, a known Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner holding a purple belt, to a grappling match. While Hardy, a celebrated film star with a genuine passion for BJJ, reportedly declined the challenge, Musumeci took umbrage with Tsarukyan’s choice of opponent.
"My friend Tom Hardy, Arman called out for a grappling match. At the time he was a purple belt. He called out a hobbyist purple belt for a grappling match," Musumeci stated, clearly articulating his perspective. He continued, "How about he competes against a jiu jitsu person in a grappling match? I’ll go up to his weight class, and we do a grapple match. That will be fun."
Musumeci’s challenge underscores a recurring theme in combat sports: the clash between pure grappling specialists and mixed martial artists in their respective domains. While Tsarukyan is an elite wrestler and proficient grappler within the context of MMA, a pure grappling match against a multiple-time BJJ world champion like Musumeci presents an entirely different set of tactical demands. Furthermore, the weight disparity between the two athletes is significant. Musumeci typically competes in the bantamweight (around 135-145 lbs) or featherweight divisions, while Tsarukyan operates at 155 lbs. Musumeci’s willingness to "go up to his weight class" highlights the seriousness of his challenge and his confidence in his technical abilities to overcome a size disadvantage.
The prospect of such a cross-disciplinary contest immediately sparked discussion among combat sports enthusiasts. While Tsarukyan is currently focused on his ascent within the UFC lightweight rankings and a potential title shot, the allure of a high-profile grappling match against a figure like Musumeci could prove enticing at a later stage in his career or during a break in his MMA schedule. Organizations like ONE Championship, which regularly features pure grappling bouts, or the UFC Fight Pass Invitational series, could serve as potential platforms for such an encounter, should both parties express genuine interest.
Elsewhere on the UFC BJJ 5 card, several other compelling matchups unfolded. Ronaldo Junior successfully defended his middleweight title against Norway’s Tarik Hopstock, securing a unanimous decision victory in a hard-fought contest. In another notable performance, Andy Murasaki demonstrated his submission prowess by submitting Andy Varela with an armbar in the first round. Rebeca Lima added to the night’s submission finishes, winning her bout via a second-round ankle lock. The event kicked off with a record-setting performance, as Jalen Fonacier snagged a heel hook on Carlos Oliveira, securing the fastest submission in UFC BJJ history, further cementing the event’s reputation for high-level grappling action.
Musumeci’s latest title defense not only reaffirmed his standing as a grappling titan but also ignited a new narrative with his bold callout. Whether Arman Tsarukyan will accept the challenge remains to be seen, but the gauntlet has been thrown, setting the stage for a potential high-stakes grappling spectacle that would undoubtedly captivate both BJJ and MMA fan bases.
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