Mikey Musumeci faces Bryce Mitchell at UFC BJJ 11 in September

UFC BJJ bantamweight champion Mikey Musumeci will move up to featherweight to take on Bryce Mitchell in the main event of UFC BJJ 11 on Sept. 24, the promotion announced Saturday.

Mitchell becomes the first active UFC fighter to compete against a UFC BJJ titleholder, though Musumeci's belt stays at 135 pounds. The grappling match headlines a card that also features Mason Fowler defending his heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight strap against Nicky Rod, as MMA Fighting reported.

Mitchell's recent grappling record and UFC submission rate

Mitchell has entered three grappling contests in the past nine months, including a draw with UFC fighter Jean Silva in March. Last September under the EBI banner, he beat JJ Bowers before losing by heel hook to Landon Elmore the same night. Of his 19 MMA wins, 10 came by submission, though only two happened since he joined the UFC in 2018. His most recent tap came in June when he finished Santiago Luna with an arm-triangle choke at the Meta APEX with eight seconds left in the final round.

Musumeci, a four-time IBJJF world champion at black belt, remains unbeaten in UFC BJJ after compiling a perfect record in ONE Championship. He won and defended his 135-pound title with four consecutive heel hooks across 11 months.

UFC BJJ 11 takes place Sept. 24 with the featherweight superfight and the Fowler-Rod title clash anchoring the card.

Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brandon Parker / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — UFC BJJ champ Mikey Musumeci moves up in weight to face Bryce Mitchell in September | MMA Fighting