"We have drug testing for a reason" - Mikey Musumeci says PEDs in BJJ set a bad standard for the future generation

BJJ superstar Mikey Musumeci wants to lead by example so that kids don't feel like they have to take steroids to compete in jiu-jitsu.

The Italian-American standout has always taken pride in never taking PEDs to improve his performances. Moreover, he's resents anyone who believes that it's okay to take performance-enhancement substances to become a better grappler.

After all, he's living proof that you don't need drugs to become a ONE world champion. Not only is it detrimental to your health, but it's also a form of cheating.

So ahead of his next outing at ONE 168: Denver this September, Mikey Musumeci is using his platform as the inaugrual flyweight king to raise the alarm on the subject, even if he gets online hate as a consequence.

He told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour:

"Look at the kids that watch jiu-jitsu. You want little kids to think I have to take steroids when I get older to be a world champion? No, we don't want our kids growing up, I'm an American kid, right? I grew up watching baseball, all these things and we have drug testing for a reason. You don't want little kids fucking taking drugs, right? And that's what happens in jiu-jitsu. They start so young on steroids. It's so bad for older men."

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"10 pounds max" - Mikey Musumeci wants to avoid getting too heavy before challenging lighweight champ Kade Ruotolo in Denver

On the same note, Mikey Musumeci plans to monitor his weight naturally - meaning, without the use of drugs - to get to the weight he needs to be by September 6.

The flyweight superstar is en route to becoming a rare two-division world champion if he defeats ONE lightweight submission grappling world title holder Kade Ruotolo for the coveted belt.

Ruotolo is 20 lbs heavier than Musumeci, so with that comes the responsibility of reaching that weight limit with the help of a good and clean diet.

Speaking to ONE, 'Darth Rigatoni said:

"I'll definitely probably stay lighter, and maybe if I can, I'll try to put another 5 pounds of muscle. I feel like that would be a reasonable number, 10 pounds max. I was trying, for this match, to eat more protein, so that helped me get a little heavier. So maybe another 5 pounds, if that."