Dana White isn’t just dipping his toes into the Brazilian jiu-jitsu world, he’s diving in headfirst. In his typical fashion, the UFC boss declared last year, “This will be the first of many we will sign over the coming months.” And true to form, he wasn’t bluffing. Enter Mikey Musumeci. The five-time IBJJF world champion is the first grappler to ink an exclusive deal with the UFC. But, of course, nothing in combat sports ever comes without a side of speculation. And if you know Gordon Ryan, you know he’s never one to sit quietly on the sidelines.
Now, before you start picturing Musumeci slapping on triangle chokes on the UFC mats, let’s clear things up. This isn’t your typical UFC contract. It’s a landmark deal aimed at giving the UFC a firm grip on the professional BJJ world. But what does ‘exclusive’ actually mean? Brendan Schaub recently tossed that question out on a recent episode of the JRE Fight Companion, and Gordon Ryan, ever the straight-shooter, weighed in.
“So usually when they do exclusive—I don’t know what his contract is, obviously. But usually it’s exclusive with cutouts for things like ADCC or big world championships,” Ryan explained. “Otherwise, it’s hard to sign the guys completely.” Schaub pressed further, asking if that meant UFC had to pay him a salary. Ryan agreed, adding, “For example, if UFC signed Mikey exclusive and then he wanted to do ADCC but it’s on Flo, like a lot of times the guys have cutouts for that, like big world championship tournaments, because it helps everybody.”
Which is to say, ‘Darth Rigatoni’ might still get a shot at premier events, but don’t expect to see him popping up at ONE Championship or FloGrappling anytime soon. Ryan continued, making it clear that these contracts can get tricky. “Like a guy exclusive to Flo or to UFC wouldn’t be able to compete for like FloGrappling or ONE normally.” For those not knee-deep in BJJ politics, this is a power move. The UFC isn’t just signing a grappler. They’re staking their claim. And when Mr. White sets his sights on something, he doesn’t aim small, he aims to own it.
MMA: UFC 300 – Pereira vs Hill Apr 13, 2024 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA UFC president Dana White in attendance during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena.
And then there’s the rumor mill. Because, of course, rumors in combat sports spread faster than a Gordon Ryan heel hook. ADCC champ Kade Ruotolo may have let slip that UFC’s next big move is a TUF-style reality show for BJJ. “I think they’re doing something with Mikey Musumeci, possibly some sort of ‘Ultimate Fighter’ type thing for jiu-jitsu,” Ruotolo teased. If true, this would be UFC at its finest. Taking a tried-and-tested formula and injecting it into a whole new world of combat sports. And speaking about BJJ drama, there’s no better place to look than the long-running tension between Ryan and Musumeci.
Remember BJJ’s most unlikely but predictable Gordon Ryan Beef?
Now, let’s spice things up. What’s a massive UFC expansion without a little rivalry to heat things up? Enter Gordon Ryan and Mikey Musumeci, the jiu-jitsu world’s most unexpected (yet somehow inevitable) feud. One is the brash, No-Gi king of controversy. The other is the mild-mannered, fun-loving technician. They’ve never fought—they’re separated by nearly 100 pounds—and yet, they go at each other like a pair of UFC lightweights at a press conference.
‘Darth Rigatoni’, long a vocal critic of PED use in jiu-jitsu, has repeatedly taken shots at Ryan, calling PED users “mentally weak” and “dependent on a crutch.” Ryan, never to let things slide, clapped back on Jake Shields’ podcast. “Mikey has been taking passive-aggressive shots at me forever,” Ryan fired. “He’ll say, ‘If you take steroids, you’re weak.’ Then his next post will be about how he’s sad and depressed. Bro, do your thing and leave everybody else alone!”
But is UFC’s BJJ expansion a game-changer or a gilded cage? UFC Fight Pass Invitationals are fun, but they only happen every few months with limited slots. Will elite grapplers be stuck in limbo like some of ONE’s exclusive signees, facing weaker competition and barely competing? History offers some cautionary tales. The 28-year-old, who once competed over a dozen times a year, only fought seven times in three years under ONE.
Could UFC’s version of exclusivity mean the same fate? Will UFC fighters be locked out, or will they be able to keep adding world titles to their resumes? What do you think? Is this a revolution for BJJ, or just another Dana White-driven business move that could limit the sport’s brightest stars? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The post Gordon Ryan Sheds Light on Dana White’s Contract With Mikey Mucemeci as UFC CEO Seeks to Dominate BJJ World appeared first on EssentiallySports.
