Mikey Musumeci has made a surprising revelation about his recent match against Reirsson Gabriel, admitting he deliberately held back from finishing the match early.
The confession came during a candid interview where Musumeci addressed critics who have questioned his recent opponent selections and competitive approach. While defending his matchmaking choices, the submission specialist revealed that sportsmanship made him hold back.
“It’s annoying because I definitely could have finished a match significantly faster,”
Musumeci explained.
“I will say that in the beginning of this match, I had him in a really tight inside heel look, and I really like Reirsson, I didn’t want to break his leg.”
The admission sheds new light on what many observers considered a surprisingly competitive bout. Gabriel, whose inspiring journey from selling popsicles in Rio’s Cantagalo favela to competing on major platforms has captured the grappling community’s attention, put up a stronger showing than expected against the technically superior Musumeci.
The revelation comes amid ongoing criticism of Musumeci‘s recent opponent selections. Critics have pointed to his victory over Gabriel Sousa at ONE Championship as his only recent win against legitimate, current elite opposition, questioning whether he’s genuinely seeking the toughest competition available.
“I’m so sick of you guys saying I’m looking for easy matches,”
Musumeci fired back at detractors who questioned his recent callout of Geo Martinez. The frustration in his voice was evident as he addressed persistent accusations about cherry-picking opponents.
Musumeci‘s decision to show restraint against Gabriel highlights an interesting dynamic in modern grappling competition. While Musumeci claimed BJJ is ultraviolent at a presser to try and appeal to an MMA audience he seemed reluctant to actually execute to the point where BJJ fans on reddit were speculating if it was somehow caked into his contract.
Gabriel‘s journey from borrowing an oversized gi to compete at the IBJJF Pan American Championships while funding his dreams through weekend ice cream sales represents the kind of authentic struggle that makes martial arts compelling. It’s a shame to see him used to prop up Musumeci in the UFC PR machine.
The dynamic between Musumeci and Gabriel also illustrates the evolving nature of professional grappling. As the sport grows and athletes develop personal relationships across different promotions and training camps, the line between competitive ruthlessness and professional courtesy becomes increasingly complex.
Musumeci‘s broader frustrations with criticism of his matchmaking reveal the challenges facing elite grapplers in today’s landscape.
“I am not on ster*ids, it’s not sustainable for me to be in camp killing myself many months and to be told I will be competing with this person every month then changed again,”
he explained.
