5 big takeaways from UFC BJJ 3
These are the top five takeaways from UFC BJJ 3, which took place on October 2, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
UFC BJJ 3 took place this past Thursday at the UFC APEX, and the athletes absolutely brought the heat. From the first bout of the night all the way through Mikey Musumeci’s main event domination, submissions were flying, and statements were made.
View the full results from the event here. Watch a replay of UFC BJJ 3 here.
#1 Mikey Musumeci needs a willing dance partner
The face of UFC BJJ, Mikey Musumeci, scores another dominant win in the evening’s main event. He made quick work of Keven Carrasco, earning the submission via a very quick leg lock submission. With that, he successfully defended his belt for the first time.
Musumeci has stated he would like to defend his title four times next year. He stated in an interview with Grappling Insider that he would like to face “Baby Shark” Diogo Reis. Other big names that could be paired with Mikey are Gabriel Sousa, who holds a submission victory over Musumeci, or Junny Ocasio. After the bout, Musumeci called for a match with his prior foe Joao Miyao.
Mikey has clearly solidified himself as one of the sport’s top pound-for-pound grapplers. There are some big names out there for Musumeci to tangle with, and he needs a willing dance partner to step up to the challenge.
#2 Carlos Henrique is emerging as a star
In the evening’s co-main event, UFC BJJ lightweight champion Carlos Henrique made the first defense of his title by out-pointing Matheus Gabriel. Henrique is a physical force in the weight class. His game is highlighted by heavy guard passing while being able to comfortably attack both the upper and lower body.
Henrique has strung together elite wins on his way to this title defense. On the “Road to UFC BJJ” show, he submitted both Gianni Grippo and Isaac Doederlein. He also has a 2025 win over rising BJJ phenom Landon Elmore.
A bout with Samuel Nagai, who also won on this card, could be a tantalizing matchup to look forward to.
#3 Varela and Murasaki are on a collision course
UFC BJJ 3 may have produced a dynamite #1 contender’s bout for Andrew Tackett’s welterweight title. Andy Varela and Andy Murasaki were two of the biggest winners at UFC BJJ 3 and may be destined for a future date.
Andy Varela is a merchant of chaos and one of the most exciting grapplers to have entered the bowl. He scored a beautiful “submission of the night” victory over Daniel Sathler after hitting a pass-by to a jumping back-take and finishing with his patented rear-naked choke.
Andy Murasaki made a statement in his UFC BJJ debut, submitting Kris Olivo in the third round via Kimura. Murasaki, who made a name for himself in the gi, was comfortable everywhere against a dangerous opponent. His passing was clinical. After the victory, he had one name in mind: Andy Varela.
#4 Cassia Moura is must-see TV
19-year-old Jiu-Jitsu phenom Cassia Moura has cemented herself as one of the top female contenders in the UFC BJJ organization. Cassia went from blue belt to black belt in under a year, winning everything in between and on her way to the UFC bowl.
Now, she is 2-0 in the organization after winning an impressive unanimous decision over experienced grappler and world champion Alex Enriquez. Her ultra-aggressive style is a treat for fans to watch. A possible future bout with Tammi Musumeci could be a lot of fun.
#5 UFC BJJ is investing in top Brazilian talent
Through three UFC BJJ events, Claudia Gadhelia and company have made it a point to look to sign top Brazilian talent to the roster. Looking up and down on this card, there were big names that made their mark IBJJF scene, such as Jansen Gomes, Kennedy Maciel, Samuel Nagai, and Andy Murasaki.
It is always fascinating to see the top gi players crossover to compete in high-level no gi events. The way points are scored under the IBJJF ruleset could transition very well to the three-round 10-point must format that the UFC BJJ uses.