“I'm not really comfortable with that” - Mikey Musumeci explains his distaste for trash-talking to build fights

ONE Championship submission grappling superstar Mikey Musumeci is not a fan of trash-talking to sell fights.

The art of trash-talking has become increasingly popular in combat sports over the last several years. Fighters have utilized social media channels to call out specific peers, essentially talking their way into a matchup and engaging in verbal jabs with one another as a way to sell a fight to fans.

It’s a mechanic that has been largely successful and can add an element of sports entertainment, but oftentimes, things go too far. As a self-proclaimed introvert, Mikey Musumeci is not a fan of using insults to sell his fights.

Speaking to ONE Championship, ‘Darth Rigatoni’ shared his thoughts on trash-talking, calling it a toxic part of the game that he simply has no interest in participating in.

“There's a toxic part of jiu-jitsu with all that cr*p-talk and stuff, where people are trying to make money with cr*p-talking. I'm not really comfortable with that. I'm a different type of person, and I'm very introverted. I have a lot of friends that are like me as well, and they quit jiu-jitsu because of that toxic way.”

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Mikey Musumeci is thankful for ONE Championship allowing him to be himself

As more and more professional fighters emerge looking for fame and fortune, it feels as though fighters are pressured to stand out in ways other than inside the cage.

Today, trashing your opponents with expletive-filled tirades seems to be the way to sell tickets for some organizations. Mikey Musumeci is thankful that ONE Championship is not one of those.

Continuing his conversation with the promotion, ‘Darth Rigatoni’ shared his appreciation for ONE Championship allowing him to be himself, selling fights on his skills inside the circle rather than through cheap theatrical monologues.

“I don't really enjoy jiu-jitsu when that part of it is involved. Chatri [Sityodtong] gives us a format and a platform where we don't have to be that type of person, you know. I feel like in some places, people, they kind of force people to do that stuff.”

The five-time IBJJF world champion will be back in action at ONE on Prime Video 2 on September 30. Musumeci will face former foe Cleber Sousa to crown the promotion’s first-ever flyweight submission grappling world champion.