Bryce Mitchell Calls Mikey Musumeci Clash the "People's Championship" Despite No Title Implications
The upcoming grappling bout is more than a side quest for Bryce Mitchell. And he doesn't care whether that comes with the belt.
One of the most interesting crossovers between Dana White's MMA and BJJ promotions goes down on Thursday at UFC BJJ 11. Bryce Mitchell will go toe-to-toe against Mikey Musumeci in a featherweight bout in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC star has already raised the stakes ahead of that clash.
Bryce Mitchell Looks Past Title Implications at UFC BJJ 11
Mikey Musumeci is one of the world's greatest grapplers right now, holding the inaugural UFC BJJ bantamweight belt. Known for his nasty leg locks and composed, competitive personality, the jiu-jitsu phenom also held titles in ONE and WNO. The Mitchell bout, however, being in a different division, does not have a title at the end of the line. 'Thug Nasty' is not concerned about that.
“I feel like this really is for the championship," Mitchell said, per Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, dubbing the fight the "people's championship."
The recent success of both fighters in their respective sports surely provides some context to that claim. 'Darth Rigatoni' Musumeci is riding off an impressive 1st-round submission against Kevin Dantzler at UFC BJJ 8. However, Mitchell is no underdog either.
The MMA star recently submitted Santiago Luna via an arm-triangle choke with less than 10 seconds on the clock. Moreover, Thug Nasty also boasts a black belt in jiu-jitsu, with over 10 submission wins on his resume. Clearly, Mitchell is not entering the fight on mere impulse.
However, there's something else that makes the matchup far more alluring for the UFC menace.
Bryce Mitchell Turns to His Own Strengths Ahead of Musumeci Clash
Mikey Musumeci is known for his deadly leg attacks. Interestingly, that's the very thing the BJJ phenom has given up for his upcoming bout after Mitchell questioned his grappling style.
Appearing on a podcast with Tim Welch, Thug Nasty accused modern jiu-jitsu of being too focused on leg locks and butt-scooting. Musumeci took it personally, offering to take on the UFC star without pulling guard or engaging in any leg entanglements. That's as attractive an offer as can be for Mitchell, who remarked:
“Literally, he is taking away his two best weapons, and now he’s gonna challenge me, and I couldn’t turn that down," he told Combat Press.
That opens up the door for Mitchell to impose his own game, relying on wrestling and top pressure.
“I’m really good at what I do, and that’s get on top of people and smash and pass.”
Moreover, the 31-year-old has claimed that he won't mind if Musumeci goes for the foot anyway. This confidence comes from what he describes as "some old-man strength mixed with some farmer strength."
Apparently, Bryce Mitchell is bringing his A-game against the jiu-jitsu phenom in their upcoming clash. With Musumeci already limiting his own strengths, however, UFC BJJ 11 is primed to deliver one of the most intriguing matchups of the year.
