UFC BJJ 5 Results: "Dagi" Musumeci Held The Line In Las Vegas and A New Star on the Rise?
The Bowl returned to the Meta APEX in Las Vegas and UFC BJJ 5 delivered exactly what this format promises. Tight title fights. Clean finishes. Tactical pressure. And a few reminders that leg locks still end nights early.
Two champions defended. A heavyweight star returned. And one young phenom added another 20-second receipt to his growing highlight reel.
Full event replay below.
Bantamweight Title
Mikey Musumeci def. Shay Montague
Submission (straight ankle lock), Round 2, 4:09
Mikey tried something different. For a round.
Instead of diving straight into leg exchanges, the champion focused high, stacking Montague and attacking the upper body while neutralizing the Scot’s guard. Montague stayed composed but returned to his corner reporting he had “torn something” in his upper leg.
Round two shifted back to familiar territory. Musumeci settled into side control, then returned to his bread and butter. A clean ankle lock. A quick tap.
Second successful defense.
Photos Courtesy of: Augie Loya
Middleweight Title
Ronaldo Junior def. Tarik Hopstock
Unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Hopstock came dangerous off his back, threatening heel hooks early and forcing Junior to respect the legs. But once the champion settled, the pressure started to accumulate.
Junior leaned on positional control, physicality, and smart pacing. The final round told the story. Hopstock probed. Junior advanced. And in the closing seconds, the Brazilian hit the accelerator chasing a finish before the horn.
Photos Courtesy of: Augie Loya
Heavyweight
Nicholas Meregali def. Nicholas Maglicic
Unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25, 29-26)
Seventeen months after shoulder surgery, Meregali looked like Meregali.
After an early butterfly sweep to regain top position, he methodically built pressure. Arm-triangle attempts. Back takes. An armbar transition. Heavy mount control.
Maglicic survived. But survival was the theme for the Australian.
Meregali is back.
Photos Courtesy of: Augie Loya
Welterweight
Andy Murasaki def. Andy Varela
Submission (armbar), Round 1, 4:32
The “Battle of the Andys” started tense. A few warnings. A reminder from Jason Herzog that this was not MMA.
Then Murasaki found the wrist. Transitioned through a Choi bar. Extended to a straight armbar.
Clean mechanics. No controversy after that.
Photos Courtesy of: Augie Loya
Featherweight
Rebeca Lima def. Taylor Ellis
Submission (Estima lock), Round 2, 3:55
Ellis pushed pace early and tested Lima in leg exchanges. But Lima never looked rushed.
When the moment opened in round two, she calmly postured and snapped on an Estima lock for the tap.
Afterward, Lima made her intentions clear. She wants a title run. And she would not mind going through Bella Mir to get there.
Photos Courtesy of: Augie Loya
Welterweight
Jonnatas Gracie def. Yan Lucas
Unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
A technical chess match.
Lucas forced early aggression. Gracie countered with sweeps and positional control. An armbar attempt. A late omoplata.
No finish. But clear control on the scorecards. Gracie then looked bowl-side and issued a callout to Andrew Tackett.
Photos Courtesy of: Blanca Garcia:
Featherweight
Rerisson Gabriel def. Landon Elmore
Unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Gabriel imposed physical pressure early and kept Elmore grounded. Elmore fired back with a strong leg attack in round one but could not convert.
From there, Gabriel managed the pace, controlled top position, and shut down late scrambles to secure the decision.
A measured veteran performance against a rising star.
Photos Courtesy of: Blanca Garcia
Flyweight
Carol Brunacio def. Mona Bailey
Unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Leg entanglements dominated this one.
Heel hook attempts. Toe holds. Guillotine transitions. The second round featured a wild roll halfway up the Bowl wall before Brunacio reversed position.
In round three, Brunacio pushed the pace and closed strong to seal it.
Photos Courtesy of: Blanca Garcia
Bantamweight
Jalen Fonacier def. Carlos Oliveira
Submission (inside heel hook), Round 1, 0:19
Nineteen seconds!
Fonacier sat immediately, attacked the leg, exposed the heel, and finished before most of the Bowl had even settled into their seats. The tap came at :19, officially the fastest submission in UFC BJJ history.
This was not just another quick finish. It was a statement.
Fonacier now owns three of the four fastest submissions in promotion history, and at just 20 years old, he is no longer simply a prospect. He is becoming the new star rising inside the UFC BJJ ecosystem.
Photos Courtesy of: Blanca Garcia
Final Take
UFC BJJ 5 reinforced a few themes.
Champions are separating themselves with maturity and composure. Leg locks remain the most reliable equalizer in the format. And the next wave, led by names like Fonacier, is not waiting for permission.
The Bowl keeps producing clarity.