Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) recently signed Mikey Musumeci to a landmark contract as its first-ever exclusive Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) athlete. UFC CEO, Dana White, called it, “the first of many” deals to be signed with other grapplers.
Musumeci will make his debut at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 9 (UFC FPI 9), but he reveals that the promotion has far bigger plans outside of just running these FPI events.
“I feel like (UFC is) finally another platform that could expand our sport to people that wouldn’t typically watch jiu-jitsu,” Musumeci said on the Ariel Helwani Show.
“For now, we’re just doing the Fight Pass Invitationals,” he said. “UFC has very big plans for grappling. I don’t think I’m allowed to talk about them yet. Just know that there’s very big plans for grappling coming from the UFC.”
New UFC ‘grappling league’ will ‘take over jiu-jitsu like they have MMA’
While Musumeci initially tried to be tight lipped about their plans, the BJJ star eventually revealed that the UFC is starting a new “grappling league” that could upset a lot of people in the industry.
“(They’re going to sign) everyone! They’re trying to take over jiu-jitsu like they have MMA. They’re going to do exactly what they did for MMA. They’re going to have a grappling league,” Musumeci said. “We’re just going to grow the sport even more than it has been rapidly growing.
“All I can say it’s the best deal I have ever had in my life,” he said about his UFC contract. “It’s incredible. They’re really treating me well. That’s why I’m so grateful to them and for what they’re going to do for jiu-jitsu. If I’m getting a deal like this, I know many future generations can.
“I just need to freaking keep staying strong, while there’s a lot of people that are going to be mad at me for changing what the sport is now — with all these random tournaments and all these shady promoters, and all these things that promote steroids,” he said. “I want this all gone. I want to make this one platform for all of us.”
Photo by Amphol Thongmueangluang/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
With Musumeci calling it the best deal he’s ever had, it likely means UFC eclipses his previous payouts with ONE Championship, WNO, and other BJJ orgs. That bar isn’t very high though, as outside of the rare outliers, grappling deals typically don’t pay as well as other sports.
The recent IBJJF Crown had their “record high” prizes of $20,000 for each tournament winner. ADCC was also criticized for previously not giving “show money,” and only paying $10,000 to the division winners, and $40,000 to the absolute champion. Those are two of the most prestigious orgs, and other BJJ promotions pay even less.
This general low pay also makes it an easier and smart investment for the UFC to swoop in and “take over” another rapidly growing industry, without really breaking the bank.
#industry, without really breaking the bank.
Mikey needs to shoot up a school already
“We need to to become a sport like MLB, NBA, NFL, where we have a legitimate organization with money that we don’t have the question: are they going to have money a year from now?”
When mentioning issues with money and “shady promoters,” it’s a bit unclear who Musumeci was referring to. After all, just like every branch of combat sports, there are controversial figures and practices involved in jiu-jitsu as well.
IBJJF and FloGrappling are big players that have been criticized for pay and other issues. ONE Championship has had various controversies and questionable finances. ADCC, ADXC and AJP all get money from controversial Abu Dhabi royals. Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) has “anonymous donors” funding their $1 million tournaments. Many other pro leagues also pop in and out with undisclosed backing.
For what it’s worth, Musumeci said he previously wanted to compete in CJI to “help Craig (Jones) and his event,” and has no interest in joining ADCC.
“CJI, I don’t know exactly. If I’m doing it for charity to help some cause, maybe I would like to push UFC to let me do it,” Musumeci said. “Will I do CJI? I don’t know exactly, but ADCC I don’t really like what it stands for at the moment with the steroids and all these different things. I just want one professional organization for everyone to have.
“…(UFC is) another platform that will eventually have drug testing as well. It’s another platform that could make our sport more professional, instead of all these steroids, all these craziness.”
ADCC, IBJJF, and FloGrappling have all been major players in the industry these last few years, with CJI and other new promotions also making waves. As Musumeci noted though, the multibillion dollar UFC machine certainly has the power to really disrupt the entire sport.
It’ll be interesting to see not only how much the UFC actually invests in this BJJ league, but also how the rest of the sport adjusts to their entry.
With UFC’s new grappling league still not live though, Musumeci will first debut at UFC FPI 9 against Felipe Machado.
It would be cool if the UFC cut down their bloated roster and did cards in a format that included everything.
Instead of the early prelim fights nobody is ever there for anyway, do some high level BJJ or combat BJJ matches.
So the UFC is going to subsidize professional sport BJJ now?!?!
Wild , Each
Better than flograplling.
I’m for it
Lost me right there. Maybe he should set his sights on the WNBA first
They will bury it on fight pass. This shit would put casuals straight to sleep. Two guys bent at the waist pawing at each others hands for 6 minutes before one guy dives for a leg, then they rub each others feet and thighs for the remaining time.
I can’t believe anyone thinks that the general public will ever watch jiu jitsu matches. I think they fucking suck to watch and I trained for 23 years. Waste of money unless they just need more content and they know this is cheap time filler.
So is Mikey going to pull out of every fight for the UFC also?
Let’s be real, he’s dodging ADCC. He says because of steroids, but claims he’d like to do CJI, where everyone, including Craig Jones, is on steroids.
Craig openly promotes his steroid stack, he says to help BJJ athletes know what to take. So how can Mikey say he won’t do ADCC due to steroids, but CJI is just as bad, if not worse?
Reality is he doesn’t want to do ADCC or CJI brackets because there’s a very good chance he loses. He only wants to do hand picked super fights he knows he can win.
He will never be a star
He’s a weirdo
I am right there with you. I mean, good for the sport in some ways, bad in others. I trained for 14 years and I find it boring as shit to watch. It also could be bad for the “sport.” When I started, it was still about self defense and fighting. Now I do muay thai, and when I am in the gym and guys are doing BJJ, about 80% of classes are about reverse ashi and x guard and all sorts of sport related shit. I train at two gyms, and both are this way. I cannot remember the last time I saw a class where they were teaching basic shit like kimuras and arm bars, its all leg stuff. Just a total sport focus now.
So everyone is clearly thrilled by this. 
Kewl Post phuckles
Yeah it’s become a complete joke
To prove my point, just wrapped up muay thai. We have a window so we can see the BJJ mats. They were doing ashi. When I left, new BJJ class was going. Guess what? Ashi. I don’t get it. I have zero inclination to go to ashi when I roll. Im battling for top. Yes, I can do x guard and ashi and leg locks and shit, but thats when I end up down there. These guys are taught to go for it as their #1 route. I dont believe in it.