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Home > MMA News > “People Are Going To Be Really Surprised” – Mikey Musumeci Prepares for MMA Debut, Aiming for UFC Flyweight Title
Mikey Musumeci, the reigning UFC BJJ bantamweight champion, has been training with elite MMA athletes for quite some time. Now, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu sensation is ready to give up his UFC BJJ title to pursue bigger ambitions in mixed martial arts.
In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Musumeci reaffirmed his plans to make his MMA debut later this year. The 30-year-old grappling prodigy expressed:
“I genuinely want to do this. At 30, I don’t have much time left to compete in this way, so I don’t want any regrets. I’m loving MMA training—it’s addictive. I want to see how far I can push myself. I enjoy being the underdog, having to climb my way up and relearn as a student. I love that feeling of being a white belt again; I have to keep learning.”
Watch Mikey Musumeci share his thoughts here:
[Embedded Tweet from Ariel Helwani]
Having already defended his UFC BJJ bantamweight world title three times, Musumeci recently scored a unanimous decision victory over Bryce Mitchell at UFC BJJ 11. Following that success, he revealed plans to increase his MMA training, especially with fighters like “Thug Nasty,” and indicated he is nearing the end of his competitive run in the BJJ division.
[Image: Musumeci and Bryce Mitchell post-fight at UFC BJJ 11]
Musumeci also mentioned that his management team is in talks with various MMA organizations, and he will soon decide where to compete. His strategy involves winning a few fights on the regional circuit first before stepping into the octagon. He has full backing from his coach John Wood at Syndicate MMA, as well as support from Hunter Campbell.
Looking further ahead, Musumeci told Helwani that he aims to compete in the UFC’s flyweight division and ultimately capture the title. However, he acknowledged the need to improve before reaching that level:
“My goal is to fight at 125 pounds in the UFC and win that championship. There’s a lot of work ahead. That’s looking way down the line. For now, it’s one fight at a time—levelling up my skills, making sure I don’t get overwhelmed standing, and mastering the ground game. I think people will be really surprised by my progress.”
Check out his latest remarks here:
[Embedded Tweet from Ariel Helwani]
The UFC flyweight division currently stands as one of the deepest and most exciting weight classes, featuring champion Joshua Van, ex-titleholder Alexandre Pantoja, and top contenders like Brandon Moreno, Kyoji Horiguchi, Manel Kape, and Brandon Royval. Musumeci’s transition could add even more intrigue and competitiveness to this stacked division as he tests his limits in MMA.
[Image: Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331]
Fan Take:
Mikey Musumeci’s leap from elite BJJ to MMA is thrilling news for fight fans eager to see a world-class grappler test himself under the cage’s toughest conditions. If he adapts well, his rise could shake up the UFC’s flyweight rankings and ignite fresh excitement in a division already packed with talent.
Source: www.lowkickmma.com
