Mikey Musumeci shared the alarming particulars surrounding the damage that took him out of ONE Championship’s return to ‘The Mile Excessive Metropolis’ in September.
Reigning because the ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion, Musumeci was scheduled to sq. off with ADCC and CJI Invitational winner Kade Ruotolo at ONE 168. Sadly, Ruotolo was compelled to bow out of the bout after sustaining accidents throughout his $1 million run on the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational weeks earlier.
In consequence, Musumeci was as a substitute booked to defend his flyweight title towards Bebeto Oliveira on the occasion. The one downside was, ‘Darth Rigatoni’ was by no means scheduled to defend his title. As a substitute, he was scheduled to maneuver up three weight courses and problem Ruotolo for his ONE light-weight submission grappling crown.
With a brand new opponent and solely every week to chop a whopping 35 kilos, Musumeci instantly set to work. Sadly, he’d by no means make it to battle evening. Musumeci missed weight and was subsequently stripped of his flyweight title. Weeks later, he exited ONE Championship.
Showing on The Ariel Helwani Present, Musumeci shed some mild on the scenario and revealed that he was affected by a really uncommon and life threatening sickness whereas attempting to chop the load for ONE 168.
“So, principally, they supplied me one other opponent at 178 kilos,” Musumeci stated. “I needed to be a minimal of, I imagine, like 165 or 160-something, however I stroll round quite a bit lighter. I couldn’t legally make that weight due to the Athletic Fee guidelines. I informed them, ‘I can’t make that weight,’ so I most well-liked to simply keep on with my division.
“On the time, I used to be very mild. I might’ve made 135 kilos, no downside. However then the lung damage occurred, which none of us knew about on the time. I solely had two days to make weight, whereas I often want not less than every week. The evening earlier than the match, at weigh-ins, I used to be 140 kilos hydrated. The battle was set at 135 kilos. That evening, I sustained the damage, which turned out to be known as pneumomediastinum.
“It’s when your lung tears, and air leaks into your throat. I used to be attempting to sweat and saved telling my buddies, ‘What’s incorrect with my throat? It feels so sore.’ It felt like crispy bubbles in my throat. All of us thought I used to be simply dehydrated or dizzy. However I knew one thing felt off.
“I additionally tried a distinct fashion of chopping weight since I had solely two days,” Musumeci continued. “I drank a variety of electrolytes, pondering it could assist with the hydration take a look at. In ONE Championship, they use a gravity take a look at to test the sodium degree in your urine. If it’s above 1.0250, you fail hydration. I assumed consuming electrolytes would preserve my ranges balanced. However when the lung concern occurred, my physique shut down. I couldn’t sweat anymore and have become tremendous dizzy. My urine had a lot sodium from the electrolytes that I couldn’t flush it out, even after consuming three gallons of water. Every little thing received caught in my abdomen.
“At that time, I felt one thing was actually incorrect and determined to go to the hospital. It turned out I used to be extremely fortunate to not have fought. The physician stated my lung would have collapsed in a single minute, and I might have died.”
Mikey Musumeci explains why he left ONE Championship
In response to Musumeci, the situation often accounts for one in each 42,000 hospital instances.
“I used to be there for 3 or 4 days,” Musumeci added. “Once I left, I couldn’t elevate my coronary heart charge or breathe closely for 2 weeks. Even strolling made me really feel bizarre. It was scary.”
Musumeci being compelled to chop a lot weight in such a brief span sparked outrage from battle followers who lambasted ONE Championship for placing the New Jersey native in an nearly not possible scenario after which proceeded to strip him of his ONE flyweight submission grappling title when he couldn’t hit the mark.
Explaining why he determined to depart ONE, Musumeci appeared to carry no animosity towards the group or it’s CEO, Chatri Sityodtong, who he describes as a parental determine.
Musumeci has since signed a landmark take care of the UFC and is scheduled to make his debut at UFC Battle Cross Invitational 9 on December 5. ‘Darth Rigatoni’ will tackle Felipe Machado on the occasion.