Marcus Almeida has quickly made a name for himself in the MMA sphere.
While “Buchecha” was famous long before he entered the Circle for his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills, the 32-year-old has shown he is capable of far more than just ground game.
Below, we break down the three reasons why Almeida can take over the heavyweight roster.
His Grappling Is Among The Best In The Division
No one in ONE has accomplished anything close to what the jiu-jitsu kingpin has done.
Throughout his life, Almeida has become well-known for his accomplishments in the sport of BJJ, in which he has won 17 World Championships. In addition to winning the ADCC World Championship, his 138-14-1 jiu-jitsu record is equally as impressive.
His grappling talents were displayed in his very first match for the organization in September 2021 at ONE: REVOLUTION. After taking down Anderson “Braddock” Silva, he quickly submitted him with a north-south choke.
Almeida’s Stand-Up Is Quickly Improving
His last bout versus Simon Carson at ONE 158: Tawanchai vs. Larsen in June illustrated that “Buchecha” can do more than just takedowns and submissions.
He showed a new side of himself by keeping the action on the feet for the first few minutes of the opening round. Almeida exchanged several kicks with Carson, to the shock of fans that were accustomed to seeing the Brazilian immediately shoot for takedowns.
“Buchecha” then took Carson to the ground and used his striking to defeat his Aussie foe with ground and pound, earning his third victory via technical knockout.
Buchecha Needs Only Minutes To Finish Fights
The MMA superstar has spent less than eight minutes total over the span of three bouts inside the Circle, finishing all of his opponents before the three-minute mark.
In all of his fights, Almeida earned early finishes whether they were due to his submissions or striking.
He showed this wasn’t a lucky break in his second fight when he fought “Mighty Warrior” Kang Ji Won at ONE: WINTER WARRIORS II in December 2021. It took “Buchecha” only two minutes and 27 seconds to tap “Mighty Warrior” out with a rear-naked choke.
Up next, download the ONE Super App to catch all the action at ONE 160: Ok vs. Lee II on Friday, August 26, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The lead card will broadcast live on One Sports and One Sports+ at 6:30 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PHT). The main card will follow on One Sports and One Sports+ at 8:30 p.m. PHT.