Tammi Musumeci Expects Nonstop Action In Submission Grappling Clash With ‘Cool Friend’ Amanda Alequin
Multiple-time BJJ World Champion Tammi Musumeci is pumped to face a competitor who she knows will bring non-stop aggression and relentless attacks from start to finish.
On July 14 at ONE Fight Night 12 on Prime Video, the 28-year-old black belt will take on friend and former opponent Amanda “Tubby” Alequin in a pivotal strawweight submission grappling bout that promises plenty of action.
Slated to go down at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, and air live in U.S. primetime, the match will be far from the first time the two elite grapplers have shared the mats.
As she enters her final preparations for the highly anticipated clash, Musumeci told ONEFC.com:
“We used to train together a lot, we’re actually close friends. I like her a lot. I think she’s a cool friend.”
Between 2014 and 2016, when Musumeci was a fresh black belt and already dominating the global BJJ scene and Alequin was a fast-rising brown belt showing tremendous talent, the two young grapplers met for intense training sessions when their schedules would allow.
Since then, they have continued their friendship as each woman racked up gold medals at major international tournaments and established themselves among the best jiu-jitsu practitioners ever.
That friendship even survived a pair of entertaining matches between them in 2021. And while Musumeci walked away with a decision victory in both encounters, she also gained an incredible amount of respect for “Tubby’s” never-say-die attitude.
Musumeci said:
“She’s going to come forward, that’s what she does. She goes forward and she attacks. That’s how she’s always been, and that’s what makes her a really good competitor. Win or lose, her matches are always exciting because she doesn’t stop.”
More than anything, Musumeci loves that Alequin is willing to take risks and put herself in a bad position if it means finding the submission finish.
The New Jersey native tries to grapple the same way – without fear of losing. It’s that shared approach and commitment to put on exciting matches that has bonded the two women.
Musumeci said:
“That’s why I think we became friends. We don’t have egos. We’re just kind of chill, you know? I feel like that’s why we became friends and we got along together pretty well.”
Musumeci Praises ‘Very Technical’ And ‘Amazing’ Alequin
Tammi Musumeci respects Amanda Alequin for more than just her entertaining, submission-hunting style.
Because after training with her over the course of two years and sharing the competition mats with her for a total of 30 minutes, Musumeci knows that her opponent is an all-around technician with no real weaknesses.
She said:
“She’s very technical. She’s always been very technical. She’s an amazing competitor. She has a good guard and also good passing. She’s pretty good everywhere, honestly.”
What’s more, the two matches in 2021 showed Musumeci that “Tubby” possesses serious physical gifts to complement her top-tier technique.
Always humble and modest when speaking about her own skills, Musumeci was happy to fawn over Alequin’s talents.
The strawweight said:
“I just remember her being super aggressive, super flexible too. She used to fight the higher weight classes and now she’s skinnier, but she’s still as strong as when she used to fight those higher weight classes, and long too. So she’s very good at this weight class.”
In their previous encounters, Musumeci found success in taking “Tubby’s” back – a trademark skill set she shares with her brother, ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion Mikey Musumeci.
She’s used those same intricate back-taking techniques, such as the berimbolo and crab ride, throughout her illustrious career. In fact, they powered her to five IBJJF World Titles to cement her status as the greatest American-born female BJJ competitor ever.
But Musumeci has continued to evolve as a grappler, as well, and she has added leg locks and more guard passing to her extensive tool kit.
With that in mind, she’s coming into her July 14 showdown with no expectations, ready for wherever the match goes.
She said:
“Since [2021], I was more back-take oriented then. I still do back-takes, but I also like to do different stuff as well. So I don’t really have a game plan or anything yet.”
