By Hasan Khan
In the rugged heart of Valle Caudina, where mountain trails carve through Moiano’s rocky terrain, Domenico Viscusi is forging a name for himself, one round at a time. Representing Italy’s next wave of MMA talent, Viscusi’s performance at the IMMAF 2025 European Championships may not have ended with gold, but his presence made an impact far beyond the podium.
Viscusi’s journey into combat sports had no early start in martial arts academies or decorated junior tournaments. His first encounter with MMA came almost by accident, when a walk through the hills near his home led him to a group of fighters drilling under the open sky. Their focus, grit, and precision sparked something in him. Curiosity led to fascination. Fascination turned to commitment.
His athletic foundation came from competitive swimming, but that offered little preparation for his first day of training. Bodyweight circuits and isometric holds designed to exhaust both body and mind greeted him instead. Where many would have tapped out, Viscusi stayed, leaning into resilience rather than away from it.
Pressure and Precision
At the IMMAF European Championships in Belgrade, Viscusi brought that same refusal to yield into a cage shared with Europe’s finest young talents. Competing in the Youth A Middleweight Division, he quickly made it clear that Italy had sent not a hopeful, but a force shaped by discomfort and sharpened by intention.
Opponents found themselves lifted from their feet and driven into the mat with force that left no doubt who controlled the fight. Each grounding was deliberate, every transition smooth, every shift in position calculated. On the ground, there was no pause, only a steady stream of strikes slipping through defences to target their opponent.
Viscusi’s constant forward pressure made the arena feel smaller. Step by step, he imposed his will, dictating both range and rhythm. His quarter-final exit may have ended his run, but the message was already sent, this is a fighter built for more than amateur competition.
Post-Fight Reflection
Where spectators saw dominance, Viscusi saw lessons. His willingness to dissect his own performance without ego fuels his growth.
“My stand-up felt sharp. I was comfortable reading my opponents and trading under pressure. Looking back, I should have trusted my striking more, using heavier shots to control the pace. My low and calf kicks worked well in earlier fights, but I didn’t rely on them enough.”
That ability to pinpoint where opportunities were missed, even after an otherwise impressive performance is what separates athletes willing to evolve from those content to coast.
The Coach’s Code: Setting the Standard
At the heart of Viscusi’s development stands Salvatore D’Orta, more than just a coach, but a constant presence who shapes both his technique and mindset. For Viscusi, D’Orta represents the standard, someone who doesn’t just preach hard work but embodies it daily.
“Believe in yourself. Believe in what you do. Believe in your passion. With discipline and faith, success will come.”
Those words define not only D’Orta’s philosophy but also Viscusi’s approach to training, competition, and self-belief.
What sets D’Orta apart is his refusal to lead from the sidelines. Every drill, every circuit, every hard round, D’Orta is right there beside his fighters, pushing through the same grind. No holidays, no shortcuts, no exceptions. For Viscusi, that example has become the foundation of his own work ethic.
At MMA Academy Club, just beyond the edges of Moiano, training does not isolate techniques into neat boxes. Punches are not practiced in sterile sequences. Takedowns do not exist in isolation. Everything is woven together, strikes feeding into level changes, scrambles offering moments for elbows and positional shifts, every drill a living blueprint for what unfolds inside the cage.
IMMAF’s youth rules, with their focus on positional control and grappling, play a role in shaping Viscusi’s training priorities, but they don’t limit his evolution as a striker. Every punch poses a question to an opponent’s guard, each kick pries open balance or exposes gaps. Even when pinned to the cage, Viscusi treats each inch of space as an opportunity, never passive, always probing.
This seamless approach turns every round into a dynamic puzzle, forcing opponents to react rather than plan. By the time they recognize the threat, Viscusi has already moved to the next phase.
Driven by His People, Powered by Belief
While personal ambition fuels his hunger, Viscusi also carries the weight of those behind him, his family, teammates, and D’Orta, who have invested their belief in every step he takes. Their sacrifices are never far from his mind, shaping how he trains, competes, and reflects.
Every sparring session, every early morning, every aching muscle is more than preparation. It’s a silent promise to repay that belief with action.
A Journey Measured Beyond Gold
IMMAF gold remains the next target, but for Viscusi it is not the ultimate prize. It is a step, not the summit. His ambitions stretch well beyond amateur accolades with the UFC in his sights, not as a dream to chase, but as a stage where results will speak louder than reputation.
For Viscusi, just reaching the sport’s biggest platform holds no weight on its own. He is not chasing recognition or a chance to belong. When the opportunity comes, he intends to arrive fully equipped with the skills, composure, and mindset to dismantle whoever stands in front of him.
That vision first sparked years ago when a teenage swimmer from Moiano stumbled across fighters grinding through mountainside drills. Today, that same fighter steps onto Europe’s biggest amateur stages with sharper tools, greater confidence, and a clear understanding that his story is only getting started.
