No-gi world champion Osamah Almarwai spoke about what it felt wish to compete towards Mikey Musumeci in ONE Championship.
In Could 2023, IBJJF No-Gi World Champion Osamah Almarwai got here up quick within the greatest match of his profession. At ONE Combat Night time 10, the Yemeni grappler suffered a submission loss to reigning ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion Mikey Musumeci – a person extensively regarded among the many planet’s high pound-for-pound rivals.
Almarwai is at present getting ready for his sophomore look within the group, as he’s set to tackle 2019 IBJJF Pans and Brasileiros champion Cleber Sousa on March 1 at ONE 166: Qatar.
For Almarwai, the match represents his probability to bounce again to the win column, erase the reminiscences of his defeat to Musumeci, and placed on a formidable efficiency in entrance of his Center Jap followers.
Now 9 months faraway from his loss to Musumeci, Almarwai says the expertise was a studying lesson.
“Mikey may be very technical,” he stated in an interview with ONE Championship. “Folks at all times ask me, is he robust? I’m like, yeah, he’s robust, however he’s extra technical than robust. I didn’t really feel the power is what gave him the win, it was the approach.”
Almarwai discovered himself on the defensive early and sometimes, attempting to thrust back the champion’s relentless leg lock assaults via a lot of the bout’s opening minutes earlier than having his again taken late.
“He was fast to reply my defenses,” he stated. “Each time I needed to defend, I keep in mind he was ready for me with one other leg lock or one thing.”
Trying again, Almarwai says that his match with Musumeci – from the hours of exhausting preparation to coping with the media, to the match itself – turned him into a greater grappler and competitor.
Now, as he prepares for one more high-profile match beneath ONE’s vibrant lights, he’s leaning on the teachings realized from his conflict with Musumeci:
“That camp modified me. Regardless that I misplaced, it made me a manner higher grappler than I used to be, simply coping with all of the stress as a result of it was one thing new. I used to be doing interviews daily with folks from within the Center East and within the US. So it made me a greater particular person. I realized lots about coaching, about getting ready for one opponent. I feel that is going to assist me with Cleber as a result of now I understand how to arrange for opponents and know what to look at. As a result of earlier than that I used to be simply doing – I had solely had one tremendous combat however apart from that, it’s simply tournaments. You go towards a pool of individuals or no matter. However Mikey was just one man. I needed to give attention to one man.”
Greater than sharpening his mindset, Almarwai says that made particular technical enhancements because of his match with Musumeci.
“It could not have confirmed within the match, however my leg lock protection improved lots,” he defined. “I imply, it didn’t work towards Mikey – clearly he wasn’t getting me with leg locks. However in different matches, after I go towards folks within the fitness center or different matches, I really feel my leg lock sport protection improved. So I’ve to take a look at the brighter image.”
Notably, Almarwai has added to his sport the precise sequence that Musumeci used to defeat him:
“The approach that Mikey caught me with, the go, taking my again, and submitting me, and I went again and I studied that and I began making use of it within the fitness center. After I catch you with this I’m like, ‘You recognize the place I realized this from? Getting caught by Mikey.’ As a result of for those who take a look at the damaging issues, you’re not going to enhance. And I watched a few of Mikey’s strategies, like how he finishes foot locks and so forth, and I study. Regardless that he’s my opponent, however you bought to study.”
The right way to watch: Osamah Almarwai vs. Cleber Sousa takes place at ONE 166: Qatar on March 1 and can air dwell on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com starting at 7:30 AM ET.
