Mikey Musumeci wants submission victory against Jarred Brooks at ONE Fight Night 13

Mikey Musumeci is taking a bold approach in his flyweight submission grappling world title defense against Jarred Brooks: “If I don’t submit him, I’m considering this a loss”

Currently in Bangkok, Thailand, Mikey Musumeci is a long way from home.

The reigning ONE Championship flyweight submission grappling world champion defends his title later tonight at ONE Fight Night 13. He is nearly 9,000 miles from his childhood home of New Jersey, yet that has not stopped him from finding the best Italian food in Bangkok.

“Thailand has the best pizza,” says Musumeci, whose “Darth Rigatoni” nickname makes one temporarily forget that he applies some of the most gnarly, vicious submissions in all grappling. “My weight is on point, so I’m eating pizza every night.”

A five-time International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation black belt world champion, Musumeci puts his flyweight submission grappling belt on the line against Jarred Brooks. Taking place at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, with the main card beginning at 8pm ET on Prime Video, Musumeci has an extremely difficult challenge in front of him in Brooks, who is the ONE strawweight MMA world champion.

“Jarred a tough f------ guy,” says Musumeci “He’s going to be a big test for me. He is a D1 wrestler, he’s built different.”

Seeking his fifth straight victory in ONE, Musumeci’s goal is to finish Brooks.

“I’ve been obsessed with my submission mechanics,” says Musumeci. “That’s the test, whether I can finish this guy. If I don’t submit him, I’m considering this a loss.”

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Musumeci (20-3) plans on transitioning to MMA. Once he does, plans to compete at strawweight, a division Brooks oversees as its champion.

“I have so much respect for Jarred,” says Musumeci. “It would be an honor to face Jarred in MMA someday.”

ONE Championship will hold four events in the United States in 2024. Musumeci would like to compete at every one of them, and it is possible that one of those cards will be his MMA debut.

“Any card in the US, I want to be on it,” says Musumeci. “I’m messaging Chatri [Sityodtong, ONE CEO] begging to fight.

“Starting in September, I plan on living in Thailand. I’ll be able to train with Stamp Fairtex and Rodtang, the most technical Muay Thai people in the world. That learning curve will help me get ready.”

ONE Fight Night 13 should provide a captivating grappling match for fight fans, marking one of the most significant tests of Musumeci’s career.

“It’s going to be violent, it’s going to be fun,” says Musumeci. “Jarred is pushing me to be better. We’ll see if I can finish him.”

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.