Bebeto Oliveira fills in for Kade Ruotolo to face Mikey Musumeci at ONE 168
IBJJF world champion Bebeto Oliveira has stepped up on short notice to take on Mikey Musumeci at ONE 168: Denver on September 6.
The much-anticipated submission-only clash between American standouts Mikey Musumeci and Kade Ruotolo at ONE 168: Denver has fallen through after Ruotolo suffered injuries at his recent $1 million performance at the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational. However, reigning IBJJF world champion Carlos “Bebeto” Oliveira has agreed to fill in on short notice and will now challenge for Musuemci’s ONE flyweight submission grappling world title.
ONE Championship announced the news on Thursday.
Notably, Musumeci was planning to challenge for Ruotolo’s lightweight submission grappling belt at 170 pounds. He will now need to make ONE’s flyweight limit of 135 pounds while hydrated to defend his world title.
For Oliveira, the opportunity represents the biggest of his career. A respected veteran black belt who has faced and beaten the vast majority of top competitors at the sport’s lightest weight classes, the Brazilian is an IBJJF world champion in both gi and no-gi, as well as a Pans champion in both gi and no-gi. Oliveira recently became the first man to win both IBJJF Worlds and Masters Worlds in the same year. Additionally, he boasts key victories over the likes of Thalison Soares, Osamah Almarwai, Paulo Miyao, and Edwin “Junny” Ocasio.
Oliveira is a guard player, through and through. He tends to do his best work using a variety of open guards, chaining together techniques from De La Riva, reverse De La Riva, and K-guard. And while he possesses above-average submission skills, particularly with his straight ankle lock, Oliveira generally prefers to sweep and gain top position rather than hunt for submission from his guard.
Musumeci, meanwhile, has firmly established himself as one of the planet’s top pound-for-pound grapplers. In addition to five IBJJF world titles (four in gi, one in no-gi), he is riding a winning streak that dates back to 2021. He’ll come into this bout following a dominant submission victory over Gabriel Sousa in June at ONE 167.
This won’t be the first time the pair have faced each other. In 2021, at the IBJJF Worlds, Musumeci secured an ankle lock finish over Oliveira.
How to watch: Mikey Musumeci vs. Bebeto Oliveira takes place on Friday, September 6, at ONE 168: Denver, and will air live on Prime Video (free with Amazon Plus subscription) beginning at 8:00 PM EST.
