Multiple-time IBJJF World Champion Mikey Musumeci is back in action at this year’s Euros, and if you’re looking forward to seeing him in the light featherweight division, get ready — he’s also entered the open weight division this year.
Musumeci is currently the lightest competitor by far in the division; the competitors currently closest to his weight are still forty pounds heavier than him, and there are multiple competitors in the super- or ultra-heavyweight divisions who will be vying for the open weight gold medal as well.
Musumeci is hardly the first competitor to ever enter a division at a massive weight disadvantage, but a win for him here would be another remarkable victory for the smaller grapplers of jiu-jitsu. The endeavor most recently calls to mind the efforts of Lachlan Giles at ADCC last year, who entered the open weight division after competing in the 77kg division and swiftly heel hooked multiple opponents far heavier than himself, including Mahamed Aly, +99kg champion Kaynan Duarte, and Patrick Gaudio (who is also in this year’s Euros open weight class).
While ADCC operates under very different rules than the IBJJF, it will still be interesting to see if Musumeci can pull off his own “giant killer” feat at the very beginning of 2020. At the very least, his efforts will hopefully inspire other jiu-jitsu athletes in lighter weight divisions to try their hand in the open weight divisions of the tournaments they enter.
Registration for the black belt open weight divisions will stay open until Friday at 5 pm, and we’ll all be keeping an eye out to see who chooses to test themselves.
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