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Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida was proud to redeem himself inside the iconic Lumpinee Stadium at ONE 169.
In August 2023, the 17-time BJJ world champion saw his unbeaten record in mixed martial arts end following a three-round war with newly minted ONE heavyweight MMA world champion 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane.
Determined to bounce back, 'Buchecha' returned to the legendary venue on November 8 for a showdown with Iranian powerhouse Amir Aliakbari in a high-stakes heavyweight tilt with serious title implications.
Although he was facing another opponent with knockout power and world-class wrestling, Almeida looked as impressive as ever, handily taking down Aliakbari for his fourth submission and fifth career finish on martial arts' biggest global stage.
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Speaking with Nick Atkin immediately following his return to the win column, Almeida was thrilled to deliver a lights-out performance in one of the most beloved venues in combat sports.
"It feels great. The first time I fought in Lumpinee wasn’t the best experience. But for me, it’s such a pleasure, such an honor to be in such a great place in the history of martial arts."
Watch the full interview:
Is 'Buchecha' next up for the ONE heavyweight MMA world title?
With the victory over Amir Aliakbari, Marcus Almeida moved to 5-1 in ONE and may have established himself as the next man up for a shot at the promotion's heavyweight MMA crown.
Interestingly, the man who now holds the belt is also the only man to defeat 'Buchecha' in MMA.
Following his big win over Almeida at ONE Fight Night 13, 'Reug Reug' earned the biggest victory of his career in the ONE 169 headliner — landing a split decision W against Anatoly Malykhin to take one of the Russian juggernaut's three world titles.
All signs point to an immediate rematch between Malykhin and 'Reug Reug' going down in 2025, but 'Buchecha' could well be in pole position to face the winner sometime next year.
If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.
