Gabriel Sousa says he won't be careless against Mikey Musumeci: "I don't let myself get into a bad position"
Gabriel Sousa has been tailoring his training camp as he prepares for his ONE Championship debut at ONE 167. The 27-year-old competitor is very experienced at the highest level but there is always more to learn in the sport of submission grappling.
On June 7, the multi-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion will step inside the circle for the first time in a huge rematch for the submission grappling world.
Sousa secured one of the biggest accomplishments of his career in 2021 when he pulled off the upset and submitted a living legend in Mikey Musumeci. That defeat three years ago was the last time that Musumeci found himself in the losing column, and now he is out for revenge.
To help prepare himself to face off with 'Darth Rigatoni' once again, this time in the bantamweight ranks, Sousa has been focused on working his way out of bad positions by starting in them during his training. That's in case he finds himself fighting from behind on June 7.
In an interview with Vitor Freitas Comunica, Gabriel Sousa spoke about his specific approach to this camp and how believes it will benefit him:
"I have been doing specific training in the last few weeks. One of the things I also like most about this type of training is that you already start in a bad position. I have a great ability to pass guard, and I don't let myself get into a bad position."
Watch the full interview below:
Gabriel Sousa knows that he will have to be on top form against Mikey Musumeci
The training that Gabriel Sousa has been doing for his debut tells you all you need to know about facing Mikey Musumeci.
All it takes is one bad position and a split-second decision once you're there and the contest could be over.
It's hard to compete against the grappling IQ of 'Darth Rigatoni' but by drilling escapes from bad positions, he can look to improve his ability to pull off crucial transitions that will keep him in the contest.
ONE 167 will air live in U.S. primetime from the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 7. North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription can catch the entire card for free.