First Things First

We got combat sports action all around the world this weekend. ONE Championship started everything off Friday in Bangkok, the UFC was on the road Saturday in Louisville, and even RIZIN was on in Japan on Sunday. Today we’re going to talk about Mikey Musumeci’s destruction of Gabriel Sousa’s leg in ONE Championship and how to build (and break) prospects.

Technical & Tactical Talk

The most interesting action from this past weekend came from ONE Championship so we’ll start there. ONE promoted the rematch between Gabriel Sousa and American jiujitsu legend Mikey Musumeci in addition to the debut of grappling wunderkind Kade Ruotolo.

Mikey Musumeci Wins His Rematch With Leg Locking

Mikey Musumeci was scheduled to compete against 2022’s ADCC silver medalist and the man that last beat him, Gabriel Sousa. This time around the match looked completely different.

In their first meeting, Sousa stayed on the outside to prevent Musumeci from making connections and playing guard. This time, Sousa shot a double and Musumeci immediately capitalized.

What held the position and won Musumeci the match was how he gripped the foot and ankle. Musumeci held the foot tight to his body before over hooking it to lock it in place. This meant Sousa could turn but not fully run out and escape’s Musumeci’s leg locking.

After Sousa got stuck, tried to crank on Musumeci’s foot to counter. Without control of Musumeci’s leg he never really threatened him. Musumeci used this control to climb up Sousa’s waist and attack a calf slicer.

When Musumeci lost the first match many critics asked if Sousa’s style was uniquely challenging for him. They wondered if Musumeci had bitten off more than he could chew.

Musumeci took the loss in stride and came back better for it. Why? Because he studies tons jiujitsu constantly and he’s an experienced veteran. He knows how to recompose himself and get back in the action. If the loss had come too early in his career, it’s possible the critics could have gotten into Musumeci’s head and kept him down.

After Musumeci won the rematch he angrily grabbed the microphone. He claimed that he really wanted a match with ADCC champion Diogo Reis, Reis wouldn’t agree to drug tests, and one of the only athletes he respects is his next opponent. That next opponent also fought this weekend and he’s the subject of this next section. That man is none other than Kade Ruotolo.

A Tale Of Two Prospects

Kade Ruotolo is one of the two of the two young super prospects that fought this past weekend. They both got rear naked choke victories, but only one made it look effortless.

Kade Ruotolo Cruises To A First Round Submission Win

After becoming the youngest ADCC World Champion and dominating ONE Championship’s submission grappling division, Ruotolo decided he was ready for a new challenge. His first fight was more of a routine check-up than a challenge.

It’s hard to tell if Cooper gave up the back to fight the hands or if Ruotolo shucked him there. Either way, once Ruotolo did get behind Cooper the fight was over.

Ruotolo’s competition was not particularly stiff here. That’s not what matters. The important part of Ruotolo’s debut was his discipline. All of his offense funneled his opponent to his area of expertise.

Ruotolo made his openings and was patient enough to stay away from danger until the time was right. You can’t exactly say the same thing for the other prospect fighting this weekend.

Raul Rosas Jr. Finds His Way To Another Win

Raul Rosas Jr. is a UFC bantamweight that is dominating headlines. He first fought in Dana White’s Contender Series at 17 and quickly told the world he’d be the youngest UFC champion ever.

Since that proclamation Rosas Jr. took his first professional loss. It looks like the UFC responded appropriately by slowing his development.

This weekend, Rosas Jr. was matched against bantamweight banger Ricky Turcios. After getting Turcios down early, Rosas Jr. was faced with some adversity in the first round.

Turcios went on to threaten a rear naked choke before being reversed by Rosas Jr. in round 1. In round 2 Rosas Jr. wrestled to Turcios’s back again. This time Rosas Jr. was able to hold the position and find his own rear naked choke.

Rosas Jr. is a skilled athlete but he fights with a frantic inexperience. This leaves him open to be reversed, countered, and hurt. Against a grappler that is more punishing than Turcios, Rosas Jr. could have taken damage he doesn’t need to at this point in his career.

It might sound like I’m being overly critical of someone who just won. If you’re claiming you’ll be the youngest UFC champion ever you’re inviting scrutiny. I know Rosas Jr. is facing tougher competition than Kade Ruotolo, so it might sound unfair to contrast them here, but, what I’m trying to say is, giving any prospect competition that is too difficult too soon is objectively harmful.

The idea that you can shoot for the moon and you’ll land among the stars is not necessarily true in combat sports like it might be in any other career.

If you bite off more than you can chew in an office job you might get a bad review. At worst you’ll get fired, but you can take those skills and learnings with you to your next company. If you bite off more than you can chew in a fight, you might sustain so much damage that your life is never the same. Just look at Sage Northcutt.

When Northcutt came onto the scene he had it all. He was young, finishing everyone, and had an extremely marketable look. The UFC was ready to give him the keys to the world.

Then Northcutt ran into the unassuming veteran Bryan Barberena and was stopped in the second round. The loss wasn’t particularly damaging, but Northcutt was never the same.

Northcutt’s dynamic aura was replaced with a more careful style. He ended up going 4-1 across his next five UFC fights but he never looked ready to take that next step in his development.

Northcutt would leave the UFC to sign with ONE Championship. He was matched against elite kickboxer Cosmo Alexandre in his first fight.

Northcutt came into the fight carefully. He was never worked to impose his offense and he left with a shattered jaw. That timid fight cost him 4 years of his career.

Kade Ruotolo has already grappled the best the sport has to offer and lived to tell the tale. That’s why he’s calm, composed, and killing his opposition. He’s battle tested and ready to continue taking steps forward.

Rosas Jr. would do his career, and his life, a favor by continuing to take fights against other relatively inexperienced athletes until he can settle into his style. Every fighter has a short window to be successful but none of them can afford to rush. A deficit of discipline will destroy a career before it starts.

This weekend another one of the sports brightest young stars fights in their first main event slot. Tatsuro Taira is taking on Alex Perez in the UFC. Come back here on Friday to see what Taira does that makes him unique.

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