ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion Mikey Musumeci believes it’s only a matter of time before he makes the transition to mixed martial arts. 

The 26-year-old proved once again why he is in a class of his own when submitted BJJ World Champion Osamah Almarwai earlier this month at ONE Fight Night 10 to mark the second time he successfully defended his prestigious strap.

With multiple BJJ World Titles under his belt and a 4-0 record in ONE, fans have been wondering if “Darth Rigatoni” would eventually test his skills in MMA, like many grappling standouts have done before him. 

Unleashing the potential beyond BJJ

The American star had an answer for such queries in a recent interview with the Singapore-based promotion.

“I want to fight [in MMA] in the future. I would love to. I love challenging myself, and I love the challenge of it. And I would love to make my jiu-jitsu work with punches being thrown. I think that would be the coolest thing ever,” Musumeci said. 

Read more: “Not One Second in This Match I Wasn’t Attacking” – Mikey Musumeci Breaks Down His Ruthless Style Helping Him Defend His World Title Over Osamah Almarwai

“If I did MMA, I would be in the 125-pound division. I think I’m really physically strong for that weight class, so I think that – if I learn stand-up from these best guys – I would have a really good shot.”

Mikey Musumeci is all about crafting perfection

Musumeci’s achievements in the sport of grappling haven’t come by luck. The Evolve MMA representative takes pride in tirelessly working on perfecting his craft, and he believes winning World Championships is just a byproduct of his overall quest for perfection. 

As such, he has little doubt that carrying that same mentality and work ethic into MMA would help lead him to success if he decides to transition to the sport.

“When I think about doing MMA, I think of it just like I think of jiu-jitsu: mastering whatever I’m working on. In jiu-jitsu, I don’t think about being a champion. I think about just being the best at whatever I’m working on, perfecting my moves. And that’s what makes me become a champion. It’s an indirect result. Being a champion, for me, is an indirect result because my goal is to have perfect jiu-jitsu,” Musumeci said. 

Read more: Mikey Musumeci Acknowledges That ‘Jiu Jitsu Can Be Boring’ and Vows to Excite in His ONE Fight Night 10 Bout

“I feel like in stand-up, it will be the same thing. I’ll want to learn stand-up [so I could] be the best I can be in stand-up, and that [indirect] result will be me winning World Titles. I think my work ethic, how I train, and everything, is perfect to become an MMA World Champion.”