The grappling world collectively rolled its eyes this week as another questionable opponent selection emerged for submission specialist Mikey Musumeci. UFC BJJ announced that the 29-year-old star will face Ares BJJ representative Keven Carrasco on Thursday, October 2, in Las Vegas at UFC BJJ 3.
The matchup continues what critics describe as a troubling pattern of carefully curated competition for Musumeci, who has grown increasingly defensive about accusations of opponent cherry-picking. Carrasco’s resume reads thin for someone supposedly challenging one of the sport’s biggest names, with his most notable achievement being a third-place finish at the 2024 IBJJF World Championships in the gi division.
What makes this selection particularly eyebrow-raising is Carrasco’s limited no-gi experience. While Musumeci claimed during a recent debate with Craig Jones that his upcoming opponent ranks among the “top five,” the context suggests this refers to UFC’s internal roster rather than the broader grappling landscape. When pressed about whether this top-five ranking applied to no-gi or gi competition, and whether his opponent had even competed in no-gi before, Musumeci’s responses painted a picture that doesn’t align with Carrasco’s actual competitive history.
Carrasco’s no-gi outings have been confined almost exclusively to UFC events, with victories over Sebastian Oyervidez via teepee choke at UFC FP 11 and Ty Costlow via triangle at UFC BJJ. His medal collection comes primarily from gi competition, raising questions about his preparedness for high-level no-gi grappling against someone of Musumeci’s caliber.
This announcement comes at a particularly sensitive time for Musumeci, who recently expressed frustration with persistent criticism about his opponent selection.
“I’m so sick of you guys saying I’m looking for easy matches,”
he responded at detractors questioning his previous callouts and matchmaking decisions.
The timing seems almost deliberately tone-deaf given the ongoing discourse about elite grapplers’ responsibility to seek challenging opposition. Musumeci has defended his approach by citing the complexities of staying active in a sport where high-level matchmaking often falls through due to various circumstances.
“I am not on ster*ids it’s not sustainable for me to be in camp overwhelming myself many months and to be told I will be competing with this person every month then changed again,”
he explained, highlighting the challenges of maintaining peak condition when opponents frequently change or withdraw.
His frustration extends to the broader state of competitive grappling, where he believes systematic improvements are needed.
“I’m doing the best I can and working to change our sport so we have testing and more of a better situation than it has been in the past,”
he stated, suggesting his opponent choices reflect practical limitations rather than deliberate avoidance of elite competition.
However, the Carrasco booking does little to silence critics who point to a concerning pattern in Musumeci’s recent competitive choices. The selection of a primarily gi-focused competitor with minimal elite no-gi experience seems to validate concerns about manufactured matchmaking rather than addressing them.
For a competitor who has previously demonstrated his ability to perform against legitimate elite opposition, the continued selection of questionable opponents raises uncomfortable questions about priorities and competitive integrity.
