UFC BJJ 1 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The eight-match card crowned three UFC BJJ title holders.
Mikey Musumeci vs. Rerisson Gabriel
Mikey Musumeci defeated Rerisson Gabriel via heel hook in the third round to become the first UFC BJJ bantamweight champion. Musumeci applied consistent leg attack pressure throughout the match, with Gabriel defending multiple submission attempts over the first two rounds.
Gabriel’s defensive scrambling kept him competitive early, but Musumeci’s persistence paid off in the final round when he secured the finishing position. Din Thomas noted: “Harrison is just escaping these attacks by the skin of his teeth. Barely escaping.”
Some fans speculate that Musumeci might’ve been taking it easy on Gabriel.
Andrew Tackett vs. Andy Varela
Andrew Tackett submitted Andy Varela with a modified rear naked choke in the first round. The 22-year-old from Texas used his wrestling background to control position before transitioning to the finish.
The submission came with Varela’s arm trapped inside the choke.
After the victory, veteran Renato Canudo entered the bowl to call out Tackett for a future match.
Carlos Henrique vs. Danilo Moreira
Carlos Henrique defeated Danilo Moreira via armbar in the third round. The Brazilian used pressure passing and his “stapling” technique—controlling Moreira’s bottom leg—to limit his opponent’s guard retention throughout the match.
Henrique’s persistence wore down Moreira over three rounds. The finish came when Henrique trapped Moreira’s leg, preventing him from defending the armbar with his foot. Moreira tapped to avoid injury.
Bella Mir def. Carol Joia – Second round d’arce choke. Mir’s wrestling background dominated the match, with her pressure and positioning overwhelming Joia’s traditional jiu-jitsu approach.
Keith Krikorian def. Joao Assonitis – Second round rear naked choke. Krikorian rebounded from his tournament loss to secure the finish after improving his conditioning between rounds.
Cassia Moura vs. Talita Alencar – The 19-year-old Moura faced the veteran Alencar in a women’s flyweight contest showcasing different generations of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Filipe Pimentel vs. Pedro Machado – Light heavyweight action featuring Machado’s surfing-influenced athleticism.
Keven Carrasco vs. Ty Costlow – Lightweight bout that went the distance under the new scoring format.
