Mikey Musumeci says he ‘trained all day’ in jiu-jitsu as a kid

Even during classroom lessons, ONE flyweight submission grappling Mikey Musumeci always had his mind fixated on jiu-jitsu.

The martial artist, who declares himself as an introverted nerd, still excelled in his studies from a young age, though.

However, once he had his mind focused on ‘the gentle art,’ the New Jersey native admits that his sole goal was to get better and better in the sport.

Looking back at it during a podcast session, the black belt admits that jiu-jitsu was always on the top of his priority list.

Speaking on The Fighter and The Kid podcast, he said:

“In school, I didn't talk much as a kid, I was in the back of the room with my headphones on, and I'd get my grades [good grades], and then I'd just go train all day.”

While most other kids spent their time together talking about the latest cartoons or games they played, Mikey Musumeci was already envisioning ways to get better at what was a mere hobby all those years ago.

That single-minded aim eventually forged him into a five-time BJJ world champion today. What made some of his success in the sport even sweeter was that he achieved it while pursuing a business degree at university.

Since then, he’s decided to pursue his athletic career fulltime. With a single-minded focus, 'Darth Rigatoni' has continued to evolve into one of the top dogs in the grappling realm today.

Now a three-time ONE Championship world champion, Mikey Musumeci is looking for his next dance partner inside the circle, ready to prove he is very much at the top of his weight class.