SUMMARY
- Mikey Musumeci is the ONE Grappling Champion and one of the best grapplers on the planet currently.
- "Darth Rigatoni" is a high-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and has a vast array of submissions.
Former Mikey Musumeci opponent Gantumur Bayanduuren has provided an update on the state of his knee after his loss to the ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion.
Bayanduuren fell to defeat when he challenged “Darth Rigatoni” for the 26-pound gold belt in January 2023 in what was one of the most stomach-churning fights of the year. The Mongolian stubbornly refused to tap when he became entangled in Musumeci’s signature “Mikey Lock” submission, leaving his knee to bend in all directions.
In the aftermath of the contest, even Musumeci was left wishing that his opponent had surrendered to the dangerous maneuver.
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“I’m kind of nauseous right now. I’m really sick to my stomach. I never felt someone’s leg explode like that in a match. I’ve been training for 22 years. I never broke someone’s leg that much. I’ve broken a lot of legs, but that leg exploded. I didn’t know what to do, and it’s just disgusting and gross. I really wish he tapped,” Musumeci said.
“When I compete, I don’t want to hurt anyone. I want them to train tomorrow. You know, I don’t want to hurt my opponent at all. So, I really didn’t like being put in that position where I had to break his leg.”
There is little chance that Bayanduuren was training for a while after the brutal contest. So, how is he doing?
Has Gantumur Bayanduuren recovered after facing Mikey Musumeci?
Gantumur Bayanduuren appears to be recovering just fine from his leg-lock ordeal at the hands of Mikey Musumeci. In a recent clip shared to his Instagram, the former Combat Sambo Champion appeared unhindered as he learns the art of boxing.
“Still a learning curve … thank you 🔥❤️🙏🙏. maybe one day it will work 🎯😁@papacoach_official @onechampionship,” he wrote in the caption.
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According to his page, Bayanduuren is sharpening his striking skills with a view to a potential MMA debut. The 27-year-old has issued several callouts to Musumeci, who is also eyeing a mixed martial arts fight, for a rematch under MMA rules.
It was in his most recent barb directed at the flyweight submission grappling king that a fan quizzed him on the condition of his knee. There was wide speculation after his bout with Musumeci that Bayanduuren could well have suffered a career-ending injury as a result of the “Mikey Lock,” but apparently that’s not the case.
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“@gantumur.bayanduuren how is your knee? Genuinely curious to know how the recovery is going after that brutal leglock,” the fan asked. “@breveglierienrico everything is okay, if Mikey agrees, I am ready to beat you tomorrow,” Bayanduuren revealed in response.
No timetable was given for Bayanduuren’s return but the good news is that he appears to be ready and able to compete when called upon.