“He’s a Real Champion” – Mikey Musumeci Has a Lot of Appreciation for Jarred Brooks Even After Getting the Better of Him at ONE Fight Night 13

Mikey Musumeci took another scintillating win in ONE Championship, and he had great things to say about his opponent after his bout. In the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 13 on August 4, “Darth Rigatoni” successfully defended the ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Championship again by scoring a submission victory over strawweight MMA king Jarred Brooks.

The win didn’t come easy for the American grappling prodigy, as “The Monkey God” gave him all he could handle while pushing for position and defending against Musumeci’s attacks.

Jarred Brooks earns the respect of Mikey Musumeci after his commendable efforts

However, even in closed guard, the Evolve MMA representative continued to be aggressive, and he found an opening for a finish at the 7:30 mark of the 10-minute contest. The hard-fought battle was more than enough for Brooks to earn the respect of the five-time IBJJF World Champion, who admired his foe even before they tussled.

“Man, I grapple with so many high-level people, and he’s super tough and durable, super strong. I was really impressed by how he was hand-fighting me at close guard,” Musumeci told ONE Championship after their match. “He was awesome, and again, props to him. He’s a warrior. He’s a world champion in MMA, and he took a match with me in jiu-jitsu, going out of his comfort zone. So I just have so much respect for him. He’s just such an awesome guy. I’m such a fan of him.”

Mikey Musumeci gives out a number of complements to Jarred Brooks

“He’s a real champion. Champions put themselves in uncomfortable positions. And they push themselves for growth. And he had no ego. He dropped his ego to come out here and grapple with me. And that’s what I define as a champion.” Through five wins in the world’s largest martial arts organization, Musumeci has beaten a variety of fighters, taking out a Sambo World Champion, two BJJ standouts, a grappling legend, and now an MMA World Champion.

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When asked about who he wants to challenge next, the 27-year-old admitted that he doesn’t have a particular name in mind, but he did say he’ll welcome his next test with open arms.

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“I always say this: my biggest opponent is myself. I’m always battling things, and I’m always overcoming. So I’m just grateful to be here. I’m grateful to keep competing and pushing myself to the next level,” Musumeci said.