Mikey Musumeci will no longer be challenging for a title in a new division. Instead, he will defend the ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Championship at ONE 168: Denver. “Darth Rigatoni” will meet Bebeto Oliveira in a short-notice title tilt on Friday, September 6 (h/t Ariel Helwani).
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During his run to claim the $1 million prize at the Craig Jones Invitational, Kade Ruotolo suffered an injury that forced his withdrawal. Just days away from the event, ONE Championship secured another title matchup that will keep the BJJ world happy for the loaded lineup. Musumeci will switch gears from lightweight contention to defending flyweight gold.
The title defense will not be the first time Musumeci has faced Oliveira. The two grappled on the mats during the 2021 IBJJF World Championships, where “Darth Rigatoni” picked up a submission win in the quarterfinals. Now, the Brazilian gets a shot at redemption in the biggest way possible.
Olivera is a highly decorated challenger who may be catching the American at the right time. Musumeci has been locked in on Ruotolo and now has to pivot on a moment’s notice. The Brazilian is the reigning IBJJF World Champion and has succeeded in gi and no-gi competitions.
The Colorado audience has already shown love for Musumeci last May. During his title defense at ONE Fight Night 20, the crowd roared when Musumeci got the submission win. With Musumeci’s aggressiveness and Oliveira’s well-rounded arsenal, this should be another entertaining matchup for the audience.
ONE 168: Denver airs live on Prime Video on Friday, September 6. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free for all Amazon Prime members based in the U.S. and Canada.
