"He just plays guard" - Gabriel Sousa confident he won’t be in a compromised position against Mikey Musumeci

Gabriel Sousa has already done it once, and he's confident he can do it for a second time. The Brazilian star will face old foe Mikey Musumeci in a bantamweight submission grappling match at ONE 167 this Friday, US primetime, at Impact Arena.

Ahead of his rematch against Musumeci, Sousa told BJJ and fitness podcaster Abe Maynard about his confidence level in his looming ONE Championship debut.

Sousa said he's certain Musumeci has no chance of putting him in any compromising position, and that he can submit the reigning ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion a second time around.

"It's hard to say, like how I'm gonna do it perfectly because it's a match. Everything can happen. But the way I can see is I will get him in side control again or mount to back. Honestly, that's the way I could see because we're not gonna wrestle, he's not gonna wrestle me. For sure, one hundred percent positive," said Gabriel Sousa.

He added:

"I don't see myself in that position, in the bottom, you know? So it's like either you're gonna pass, north-south choke, or arm triangle from full mount, or from the back rear-naked choke. Just because he plays guard, and I pass guard. What I'm gonna do is jump to a knee bar, it could happen. I'm very confident and I don't care, I'm gonna jump on his legs. That's the way I see the match going."

Gabriel Sousa was the last man to beat Musumeci in competition when he submitted 'Darth Rigatoni' with a north-south choke in their matchup at Who's Number One in 2021.

Although Sousa has the mental edge over Musumeci, the American star has improved leaps and bounds in the three years since their first meeting.

Musumeci is a perfect 6-0 in ONE Championship with four submission wins against Jarred Brooks, Osamah Almarwai, and Japanese legends Masakazu Imanari and Shinya Aoki.

ONE 167 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

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Gabriel Sousa says Mikey Musumeci made excuses after losing to him in 2021

Gabriel Sousa is eager to fan the flames of a growing rivalry. After he beat Musumeci in their first meeting, Sousa said 'Darth Rigatoni' made excuses for the loss.

Sousa now plans to prove that his victory is no fluke.

"So when I beat him [Mikey], for some reason he came up with excuses. I don't think it was necessary. He told me he was not 100%. I want to beat him this time in his best shape. I don't want to get nobody at 50%. I want them at 100%," Sousa told ONE Championship in an interview.