Bryce Mitchell is stepping away from mixed martial arts for a night and heading into the grappling spotlight.
The UFC bantamweight contender will face UFC BJJ bantamweight champion Mikey Musumeci at UFC BJJ 11 on Sept. 24 at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas. The matchup will be contested at featherweight, meaning Musumeci’s title will remain off the line.
The event will also feature a championship bout in the co-main event, where UFC BJJ light heavyweight king Mason Fowler defends his belt against Nick Rodriguez.
Mitchell Answers the Challenge of Facing Musumeci
Mitchell has never hidden his love for grappling competition, and the Arkansas native now gets a chance to test himself against one of the sport’s most accomplished submission specialists.
The matchup came together after Mitchell expressed interest in facing Musumeci, who has quickly established himself as one of UFC BJJ’s standout champions. While Mitchell has previously admitted he is “not particularly a fan” of Musumeci’s leg-lock-focused game, he has also shown respect for the champion’s dominance on the mats.
This is not Mitchell’s first venture into high-level grappling outside MMA. He competed at Eddie Bravo Invitational 25 last year, earning a victory over JJ Bowers before falling to Landon Elmore by heel hook. Earlier this year, he also shared the mat with former UFC opponent Jean Silva.
UFC BJJ Champion Continues His Rise
Musumeci enters the contest with a perfect record under the UFC BJJ banner. The 30-year-old submission ace has gone 4-0 in the promotion and finished every opponent he has faced.
Three of those victories came by heel hook, while another ended with a foot lock. His aggressive submission style has made him one of the promotion’s biggest attractions and helped earn him the nickname “Darth Rigatoni.”
In recent months, Musumeci had publicly pushed for a grappling showdown with UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan. Instead, he now finds himself matched with Mitchell in one of the most intriguing crossover bouts UFC BJJ has booked to date.
For Mitchell, the bout offers another chance to showcase his grappling credentials. For Musumeci, it is an opportunity to add a well-known UFC name to his growing list of submissions.