UFC BJJ 11 Results: Musumeci vs Mitchell Highlights
The UFC BJJ 11 results headline a major night of submission grappling at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, where UFC BJJ bantamweight champion Mikey Musumeci faced UFC veteran Bryce Mitchell in a special featherweight contest.
The September 24 event brought together several high-level grapplers, with the Musumeci-Mitchell matchup serving as the main attraction. The contest was not for Musumeci’s bantamweight championship, as the champion moved up to featherweight for the special matchup. MMMA Fighting+1
The co-main event featured considerably higher stakes. UFC BJJ light heavyweight champion Mason Fowler put his title on the line against Nick Rodriguez in a rematch of their previous meeting. UUFC+1
UFC BJJ 11 Results and Main Event
Mikey Musumeci entered UFC BJJ 11 with a perfect record under the promotion and four consecutive submission victories.
The reigning bantamweight champion has quickly become one of the central figures in UFC BJJ. According to MMA Fighting, Musumeci had won four straight matches by submission before the matchup with Mitchell. MMMA Fighting
Bryce Mitchell, meanwhile, was making his UFC BJJ debut.
Mitchell is primarily known for his career in mixed martial arts, where he built a reputation as a capable grappler and submission specialist. He entered the matchup with 19 UFC victories and extensive experience competing inside the Octagon. MMMA Fighting+1
The matchup therefore represented a crossover between two different competitive backgrounds.
Musumeci brought elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu credentials and extensive submission-grappling experience. Mitchell brought the physicality and grappling experience developed during his MMA career.
As of the latest accessible official and MMA Fighting result pages, the specific winner of the main event has not been populated in the published results. MMMA Fighting+1
Musumeci Moves Up to Featherweight
One of the most notable elements of UFC BJJ 11 was Musumeci’s decision to compete above his championship division.
Musumeci is the UFC BJJ bantamweight champion, but his bout with Mitchell took place at featherweight. His bantamweight championship was therefore not at stake. MMMA Fighting
That distinction was important because the contest was designed as a special matchup rather than a conventional title defense.
Musumeci has already established himself as one of the promotion’s most successful competitors. Before UFC BJJ 11, he had won every match in the promotion and had finished each opponent by submission. CCombat Press
His previous UFC BJJ run included victories over Kevin Dantzler, Shay Montague and Keven Carrasco, among others. His ability to consistently find submissions made him one of the promotion’s most recognizable grapplers.
Bryce Mitchell Makes UFC BJJ Debut
For Mitchell, UFC BJJ 11 represented a different kind of challenge.
The Arkansas-based fighter entered the event after spending most of his professional career in MMA. He has also competed in grappling matches outside the UFC and has demonstrated a willingness to compete on the ground against experienced opponents.
MMA Fighting reported that Mitchell had competed in three grappling matches during the nine months before UFC BJJ 11. One of those contests was a draw with fellow UFC fighter Jean Silva in March. MMMA Fighting
Mitchell’s MMA record has also featured a significant number of submission wins.
His most recent UFC victory before the grappling match came against Santiago Luna at the Meta APEX. Mitchell finished that bout with an arm-triangle choke late in the third round. MMMA Fighting
His transition into UFC BJJ was therefore not entirely unexpected.
However, facing Musumeci represented a different test because the competition was specifically focused on submission grappling rather than mixed martial arts.
Special Rules Added Another Layer
The Musumeci-Mitchell matchup also attracted attention because of the difference in their competitive styles and physical profiles.
Musumeci is a highly decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor and a four-time IBJJF black-belt world champion, according to MMA Fighting. He also had an extensive submission record before joining UFC BJJ. MMMA Fighting
Mitchell, on the other hand, has spent years developing his grappling within MMA.
Reports before the event also noted that Musumeci planned to impose restrictions on some of his usual techniques, including avoiding guard pulls and his trademark leg attacks. MMMA Mania
Those restrictions added an unusual element to the contest.
Instead of relying on the submission sequences that had helped produce his previous UFC BJJ victories, Musumeci indicated that he was prepared to work from different positions.
That made the contest particularly interesting from a technical standpoint.
Mason Fowler Defends UFC BJJ Title
The co-main event provided the night’s championship stakes.
Mason Fowler defended the UFC BJJ light heavyweight title against Nick Rodriguez.
The fight was also a rematch. Rodriguez had previously defeated Fowler by decision in 2024, giving the champion a chance to face the same opponent again with his belt on the line. CCombat Press+1
Fowler entered UFC BJJ 11 with a 3-0 promotional record and two submission victories.
He had established himself as the champion of the 205-pound division after victories over Devhonte Johnson, Pedro Machado and David Garmo. CCombat Press
Rodriguez entered with a 1-0-1 record under UFC BJJ.
His promotional debut ended with a first-round submission of Joao Nicolite, giving him an immediate opportunity to challenge for championship gold. CCombat Press
The matchup therefore combined a title defense with the history of their previous encounter.
UFC BJJ 11 Fight Card
The event featured eight listed bouts across the main card and preliminaries.
The main card included:
- Mikey Musumeci vs. Bryce Mitchell — featherweight special show match
- Mason Fowler vs. Nick Rodriguez — UFC BJJ light heavyweight championship
- Aurelie Le Vern vs. Rana Willink — women’s featherweight
- Jay Rodriguez vs. Kevin Behring — middleweight
- Lucas Norat vs. Pedro Machado — light heavyweight
- Jordan Holy vs. Ryan Elgarico — featherweight
The preliminaries included:
- Mason Stritzel vs. Sebastian Zazueta
- Daniel Deeder vs. Kolby Gonzalez
MMA Fighting listed Holy as defeating Elgarico by unanimous decision, while Stritzel defeated Zazueta by inside heel hook in the second round and Deeder defeated Gonzalez by kimura in the third. MMMA Fighting
Early Results Show Submission Focus
The preliminary bouts demonstrated the submission-oriented nature of UFC BJJ.
Stritzel finished Zazueta with an inside heel hook in the second round. Deeder then secured a third-round kimura against Gonzalez. MMMA Fighting
Those finishes illustrated the range of submission techniques featured on the card.
Heel hooks are among the most dangerous leg-lock attacks in modern submission grappling because they target the knee and surrounding structures. The technique has become increasingly prominent in no-gi competition.
The kimura, meanwhile, attacks the shoulder through a figure-four grip and can be used from several positions.
Both finishes showed why UFC BJJ places such a strong emphasis on submission-oriented competition.
Why UFC BJJ 11 Matters
UFC BJJ is part of the UFC’s broader effort to establish a dedicated platform for submission grappling.
The format gives elite grapplers an opportunity to compete without the striking component of MMA. At the same time, it creates opportunities for UFC fighters with strong Brazilian jiu-jitsu backgrounds to compete in a ruleset centered entirely around grappling.
Musumeci’s appearance against Mitchell was a clear example of that crossover.
The matchup brought together a decorated specialist from the submission-grappling world and an established UFC fighter with extensive ground-fighting experience.
For fans, that creates a different type of contest from a traditional UFC fight.
There are no punches or kicks to change the tactical equation. Instead, athletes must rely on positioning, takedowns, escapes, sweeps, transitions and submission attempts.
UFC BJJ 11 Highlights the Growing Grappling Scene
The event also reflects the continued growth of professional submission grappling.
Several athletes competing on the card have backgrounds in major Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions, while others have developed their reputations through MMA.
Nick Rodriguez is one of the most prominent examples of an elite grappler moving between different competitive formats. His presence opposite Fowler gave the UFC BJJ championship bout a crossover element of its own. CCombat Press
Musumeci represents the opposite direction.
Rather than an MMA fighter moving deeper into submission grappling, he is an elite jiu-jitsu specialist competing on a platform created by the world’s largest MMA promotion.
The combination creates a unique roster.
Where to Watch UFC BJJ 11
UFC BJJ 11 took place at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on September 24.
UFC and MMA Fighting listed UFC Fight Pass as the platform carrying the event. The UFC announced an 8 p.m. ET start time for the September 24 card. UUFC+1
For fans following future UFC BJJ events, UFC Fight Pass remains the primary destination for the promotion’s submission-grappling events.
What Comes Next for Musumeci and Mitchell?
The UFC BJJ 11 matchup was not a title fight for Musumeci, meaning his bantamweight championship was not directly affected by the result.
That leaves the champion with several possible directions within the promotion.
A return to bantamweight would allow Musumeci to continue defending his title, while additional special matches could provide opportunities to face larger opponents.
For Mitchell, UFC BJJ 11 represents another chapter in his grappling career.
The UFC veteran has already competed in MMA and independent submission-grappling events. His appearance on the UFC BJJ platform gives him another opportunity to develop his skills under a ruleset designed specifically for grappling.
The significance of the matchup will ultimately depend on how both competitors perform in future events.
Final Takeaway
The UFC BJJ 11 results brought together two very different grappling backgrounds when Mikey Musumeci faced Bryce Mitchell in a special featherweight matchup at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
Musumeci entered as the undefeated UFC BJJ bantamweight champion, while Mitchell made his promotional debut after years of MMA competition. The bout was not a title fight, but it was one of the event’s central attractions. MMMA Fighting+1
The card also featured a UFC BJJ championship battle between Mason Fowler and Nick Rodriguez, alongside a series of submission-focused matchups.
The accessible official UFC and MMA Fighting pages confirm the event and several completed results, but do not currently provide a populated result for the Musumeci-Mitchell main event. MMMA Fighting+1
For that reason, the main-event winner has deliberately not been stated here without reliable confirmation.
Primary source: MMA Fighting — UFC BJJ 11 Results: Musumeci vs. Mitchell
Official event information: UFC — UFC BJJ 11 Results
Image: Use the featured UFC BJJ 11 Musumeci–Mitchell image from the source page, subject to your site’s image licensing/usage rights.
