"We freaking kill each other" - Mikey Musumeci leaning on bemedaled grappler Kennedy Maciel to simulate Kade Ruotolo
Mikey Musumeci has been making sure that he gets the right preparation for his next contest.
'Darth Rigatoni' is always a total professional when it comes to getting himself in the best shape possible for his grappling matches but this next one is different.
Not only will he be going up several weight classes from his usual home of flyweight, Musumeci will be taking on a fellow ONE world champion.
Lightweight champ Kade Ruotolo brings a very high-level grappling IQ to the table alongside his great athleticism.
ONE Championship fans have become accustomed to watching both Kade and his brother Tye dominate opponents with a relentless pace and constant submission threats.
To get himself ready for this huge grappling super fight at ONE 168 on September 6, Musumeci has enlisted some specialist help.
The 28-year-old has been working alongside a highly-regarded grappler in Kennedy Maciel who will help to prepare the flyweight king for this test.
In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Musumeci detailed his work alongside Maciel and his father, grappling icon 'Cobrinha':
"On Thursdays and Fridays, Kennedy and I go to war. We freaking kill each other. We do three hours of training, just me and him, and 'Cobrinha' supervising. But it's basically 10-minute rounds of us trying to kill each other, figuring new things out."
Mikey Musumeci is pulling out all the stops for this one
Mikey Musumeci doesn't appear to have much to lose in this contest considering the risks that he is taking.
Competing up at lightweight against the champion is a huge ask for him but the flyweight titleholder also knows what a huge moment this could be for submission grappling.
Mikey and Kade aren't just two of the best in the world, they're tremendous flag bearers for the sport, and seeing them go head-to-head at the Ball Arena is sure to be something special.
Tickets for ONE 168: Denver are available via Ticketmaster.