Mikey Musumeci will be making his ONE Championship debut against none other than the legendary Japanese martial artist, Masakazu Imanari, in a Submission Grappling Match on April 22nd
25- year old Musumeci signed with ONE Championship in early March as part of the promotion’s campaign to acquire the biggest names in jiu-jitsu, such as Gordon Ryan, Andre Galvao, Garry Tonon, Danielle Kelly, and more. He is a multi-time World Champion and one of the most active and successful black belts on the planet.
46-year old Imanari has over 60 career MMA matches, holding a record of 39-20 with 28 wins coming by submission. He’s fought in ONE, PRIDE, Pancrase, and more. He’s one of the true pioneers of grappling, with high respect in his leg lock game and of course his “Imanari Roll”.
Musumeci’s debut match should serve as a true test and a right of passage of sorts as he faces off against Imanari. In shades of Adesanya vs. Silva or Canelo vs. Mayweather, it’s another installment of New School vs. Old School on April 22nd. The match will take place at a catchweight which has yet to be announced.
ONE has separated themselves from other promotions by providing more than Mixed Martial Arts fights, but also Submission Grappling, Muay Thai, Mixed Rules, and more. Their efforts to expand the viewership of various martial arts have opened up tons of avenues for grapplers to make a living off of their sport. Now, with sponsors in the activity such as Joe Rogan, Panda Express, and Bitcoin Cash, there truly has never been a more lucrative time for jiu-jitsu players.
Musumeci vs. Imanari takes place at ONE: Reloaded on Friday, April 22nd at 6PM SGT(3AM PT).
