2016 European Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

The Quiet Rivalry Brewing Between Joao Miyao & Mikey Musumeci

The Quiet Rivalry Brewing Between Joao Miyao & Mikey Musumeci

Joao Miyao and Michael Musumeci are on opposites sides of the bracket this week at the 2017 European Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, and if all goes according to plan they will meet for the first time in 2017.

Jan 16, 2017 by Reid Connell
Mikey Musumeci Out To Make History At Worlds
Joao Miyao and Michael Musumeci are two of the most accomplished light featherweights competing today. Both have ascended the mountain of grappling greatness and captured countless titles along the way. However, lately, it's been one outshining the other.

These two elite grapplers have already met four times, and Musumeci has dominated all four outings. Miyao has only lost a small handful of matches since becoming a black belt but surprisingly has never defeated the younger Musumeci in competition.

This week at the 2017 IBJJF European Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, it's very possible the two could meet again. They are on opposites sides of the bracket, and if all goes according to plan they will meet for the first time in 2017. Take a look back at all four matches between these modern jiu-jitsu marvels!

Watch the 2017 IBJJF European Championships LIVE on FloGrappling on January 17-22

Match 1: American Nationals 2015

Mikey Musumeci was a brand new, baby-faced black belt when he walked into the American Nationals finals against the highly touted Joao Miyao. Not many gave "The Berimbolo Kid" a chance against the next big thing in Brazilian jiu-jitsu but you wouldn't have known it by looking at Mikey's calm demeanor.

His first big test at black belt went off without a hitch and kickstarted one of the more interesting rivalries in modern jiu-jitsu competition.


Match 2: American Nationals 2016

One year later the two would meet again in the American National finals. Once again, the 18-year-old jiu-jitsu prodigy proved to be too much for the Brazilian standout. Employing a similar strategy as their match one year earlier, Musumeci managed to sweep off a failed berimbolo attempt and staved off any offense from Joao to close out the match 2-0.

It's not often you see a frustrated Joao Miyao, but here you can clearly see dissatisfaction in the face of the brown belt world champion.



Match 3: Abu Dhabi Grand Slam LA 2016

Back in September 2016, the two elite featherweights met once more, this time under a six-minute time limit at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam. This is hands down the most exciting match of the series so far, and it came razor close to seeing a spectacular finish in the dying seconds. This one you'll need to watch immediately!


Match 4: No-Gi World Championships 2016

Their final meeting of 2016 was perhaps on the biggest stage thus far, the finals of the No-Gi World Championships. Both men fought their way through a loaded light featherweight bracket and threw down in an exciting final.

Joao once again couldn't figure out the rubix cube that is Mikey Musumeci's guard and lost a back-and-forth match 10-8.



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