Mikey Musumeci has just revealed that he suffered a torn lung during his preparation for ONE 168…
Which ultimately forced him to withdraw from the event.
Musumeci was set to move up to lightweight to challenge Kade Ruotolo for the title, a significant jump as he would be moving up three weight classes from his usual 135lbs to a limit of 170lbs.
However, just days before the event, Ruotolo had to withdraw due to injury, leaving Musumeci and the promotion scrambling to find a replacement opponent.
Carlos “Bebeto” Oliveira stepped in at short notice to face Musumeci, but this required another change.
The match was shifted back to Musumeci’s regular weight class of 135lbs, forcing him to attempt a rapid weight cut on short notice.
Unfortunately, Musumeci could not make the weight and failed the hydration test.
As a result, he was stripped of his ONE Championship flyweight submission grappling title.
Musumeci later revealed that his torn lung was a significant factor in the bout’s cancellation.
In a post on his Instagram account, Musumeci explained that his injury took place while he was doing the Rickson Gracie breathing technique (diaphragmic breathing):
I have been in the hospital since early this morning. I have pneumomediastinum, which means I had a tear in my lung Wednesday.
I believe when I was cutting weight, doing Rickson diaphragm breathing, the air got into my chest and then into my neck.
This is a life threatening condition, and if I would have competed, I could have died the doctor told me.
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Sloth Jiu-Jitsu: you can be slow and unathletic and still kick butt in Jiu-Jitsu.
