The jiu-jitsu community continues to grapple with fallout from UFC BJJ’s decision to restrict its athletes from competing at ADCC.
“How dare UFC not want to spend millions of dollars investing in Jiu Jitsu events building their athletes to get maximal exposure just to donate their athletes to help other events,” Musumeci wrote.
His comments arrive amid mounting tension over the announcement that starting in 2027 UFC BJJ’s exclusive athletes will be barred from competing at ADCC, often described as the Olympics of grappling. Only select roster members will be permitted to participate in the 2026 edition, presumably those who negotiated that exemption into their contracts.
Musumeci drew a contrast between the two platforms noting that ADCC runs once every two years with winners taking home $20,000, while UFC BJJ plans to host 20 events across the next two years with substantially more earning potential for competitors.
DeBlass, who serves as ONE Championship’s vice president of grappling, has been among the most vocal critics of the policy shift. In a video posted after initial comments from Claudia Gadelha, DeBlass framed UFC BJJ’s approach as contrary to the spirit of submission grappling.
“I just heard today that UFC will no longer be allowing their athletes to compete in anything else that includes ADCC, which is our Olympics,” DeBlass stated. “A lot of people, how do you feel about that? Well, what I feel about it is it’s terrible.”
“Grappling is not MMA, right?” DeBlass continued. “Grapplers have the ability to compete every week. That’s why, since I came on board, our grapplers compete everywhere.”
Yet Musumeci’s defense of UFC BJJ suggests not everyone views the exclusivity model as inherently problematic. When pressed by Martinez about why he has not competed at ADCC despite multiple invitations, Musumeci provided detailed context for each occasion.
*Craig Jones shared a carousel criticizing exclusive contracts. While Musumeci was part of the carousel there seems to be no ill will between them.
ADCC once represented the undisputed pinnacle of competition, but the promotion has struggled to retain talent due to the absence of show money, modest purses and reliance on exposure for winners.
DeBlass argued that ADCC’s unique status as the sport’s equivalent to the Olympics makes it irreplaceable.
“ADCC is like our Olympics, right? There’s something deep and special about winning that,” he said. “Now, you’re not allowing athletes to do that. For what? For control. This isn’t for the athletes.”
But Musumeci’s perspective suggests that for some competitors the calculation is not so straightforward.
After a peak in popularity in 2024, BJJ has felt comparatively lukewarm in 2025. UFC BJJ has faced scrutiny over opaque metrics, limited transparency about what influenced its format and stylistic presentation and ongoing debate surrounding rule adjustments.
Musumeci’s willingness to publicly defend the organization indicates that at least some elite competitors see value in the exclusivity model.
What is certain is that the landscape of professional grappling is being reshaped in real time and athletes are being asked to choose sides in ways they have not faced before.
