Mikey Musumeci on why Jarred Brooks is perfect for submission grappling: “He brings a different element”

ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion Mikey Musumeci said Jarred Brooks may be fighting in a different lane in their upcoming battle but believes his opponent has the tools to do well in the sport.

‘Darth Rigatoni’ will be defending his world title against ONE strawweight mixed martial arts king Brooks in an all-American champion-versus-champion clash next week in Bangkok.

The fight will take place at ONE Fight Night 13 on Prime Video, which will be played at the famed Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on August 4 and will be available live and for free to Prime Video subscribers in North America.

It will be Mikey Musumeci’s third defense of the world title he won in September last year.

Speaking to ONE Championship, the 27-year-old Italian-American champion said the MMA background of ‘The Monkey God’ gives a different element to his grappling game, which is going to be a challenge come fight night.

“I think that he brings a different element to this submission grappling than what people are used to. I think that MMA is a sport where they have to be finishers, they have to go to attack you in submissions.”

Mikey Musumeci passed his first test as world champion back in January, defeating Mongolian challenger Gantumur Bayanduuren by unanimous decision.

He then followed it up with another successful defense in May in the United States, submitting Yemeni Osamah Almarwai via rear-naked choke late in their 10-minute title joust.

Jarred Brooks, 30, meanwhile, looks to make it back-to-back world title conquests after seizing the ONE strawweight world title from Joshua Pacio in his last fight in December.

ONE Fight Night 13 will be the first time that Brooks will be competing in grappling in ONE Championship, but he has warned that his jiu-jitsu skills are firm and that he is capable of coming up with surprises.