BJJ GOAT ‘Buchecha’ lists 2016 Absolutes IBJJF triumph as “one of the most special titles of my career”

17-time BJJ world champion and ONE Championship's heavyweight MMA star Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida recently posted about his historic victory over Erberth Santos at the Absolutes finals in the 2016 IBJJF World Jiu-jitsu Championships. It was perhaps his most nail-biting world title win in his entire grappling career.

Here's the post:

"It wasn’t just the celebration of another Absolute World title, it was much more than that, it was me banishing once and for all the ghosts of doubt that I would go back to being the same Buchecha I was before the surgery, it was the certainty that everything I went through it was worth it, it was me once again making history and not telling it! 2016 is the year of Return, certainly one of the most special titles of my career."

This was the World Championship where Almeida's best friend and rival, the late Leandro Lo, forfeited his spot in the Absolutes division so his compatriot could compete in the finals. It wasn't just about winning a 6th world title or conquering the Absolutes for the first time in his career - it was about the bond between two great martial artists being stronger than any gold medal.

The bout and subsequent win itself were poetic displays of grit and heart. 'Buchecha' was caught in a leglock hold on the knee that he injured and repaired a year prior. After a lengthy chess match where both competitors held on and tried to bait each other to make a sudden mistake, Almeida made the entire arena rise to its feet by winning the match with a hail-mary sweep in the final 20 seconds.

It epitomized the term "clutch" in sports. The win made 'Buchecha' an even bigger name in competitive Jiu-Jitsu and proved that he is truly one of, if not the best, grappler of his generation. and possibly of all time.