Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Mikey Musumeci raised eyebrows during his post-bout interview at UFC BJJ 3, when he unexpectedly dedicated his first-round submission victory to Tylenol, calling it “a great supplement.” The comment came amid growing political controversy surrounding the medication’s safety during pregnancy.
Musumeci, who successfully defended his UFC BJJ bantamweight championship with his signature “Mikey Lock” submission, made the unusual dedication immediately after his victory was announced. “I want to dedicate this performance to Tylenol. It’s a great supplement,” Musumeci stated during the cage-side interview.
The timing of the comment has sparked debate among UFC’s predominantly right-leaning fanbase, with many interpreting it as a veiled reference to recent claims made by former President Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding Tylenol’s alleged connection to autism in children when taken during pregnancy.
Joe Rogan, who has publicly supported both Trump and RFK Jr.’s position on this issue, recently criticized pregnant women on TikTok who were taking Tylenol to demonstrate their disagreement with the claims.
“I’ve been fascinated by these videos of pregnant women taking Tylenol to show Trump that they don’t believe in what RFK Jr. is saying,” Rogan commented on his podcast.
The controversy stems from the Trump administration’s suggestions that prenatal acetaminophen use may significantly increase autism risk, despite mixed scientific evidence. While some small studies have explored potential associations, larger research, including a 2024 Swedish study tracking 2.5 million children, found no connection between acetaminophen exposure and autism or ADHD.
Social media reactions to Musumeci’s comments have been polarized. One commenter wrote: “Did that homosexual liberal male nerd try making a joke about Tylenol as a dig at Trump? There are many studies that prove Tylenol increases the risk of autism in unborn fetuses.”
However, the comment may have been lost in translation for those unfamiliar with BJJ culture, where there’s a long-running inside joke that “autism is the best base for BJJ.” This stems from observations about how some of the sport’s most dominant champions display intense, single-minded focus on their craft, often to the exclusion of other interests.
The soft-spoken champion, who described himself as “an introvert person” during the interview, focused the remainder of his comments on his performance and future matchmaking possibilities, specifically mentioning interest in a rematch with Joel Melo.
