'Buchecha' believes Arjan Bhullar doesn’t deserve to be the world champion anymore

'Buchecha' Marcus Almeida is not impressed with reigning ONE heavyweight world champion Arjan Bhullar. The all-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu great is climbing ONE's heavyweight ladder, but there's some hold-up at the top of the division.

The Indian-Canadian Bhullar captured the ONE heavyweight throne in 2021 with a TKO win over Brandon Vera. Since then, he has not once defended his world title due to contract negotiations and injuries. Due to the world champion being away, the promotion crowned an interim world champion, Russia's Anatoly Malykhin.

Brazil's 'Buchecha' is an all-time great in the grappling arts. After winning dozens of world championships in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he decided to enter MMA. Almeida has a perfect 4-0 MMA record with all of his wins coming via first-round stoppage.

Almeida's MMA career started after Bhullar won the world title. Since then, 'Buchecha' has fought in four bouts while ‘Singh’ has figured in zero.

'Buchecha' offered his thoughts about Bhullar in an interview with ONE Championship:

"Who am I to say if someone is scared or not, right? Arjan Bhullar won the division’s belt and he deserved it. But this delay in returning to the cage, regardless of the reason… I think he should have already lost the title due to inactivity. I don't know what the reasons are for his delay in defending the title, but he messed up the division a lot."

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When is 'Buchecha' Marcus Almeida's next bout?

While 'Buchecha' Marcus Almeida has not been officially booked for a fight, he has his eyes on a date. ONE Championship will be hosting its first show on US soil at ONE on Prime Video 10 on May 5, and that's when the Brazilian wants to be back in the circle.

Almeida explained while speaking to ONE:

“I am very happy with this news. Fighting in this event would be amazing! ONE’s first time in the U.S., and I’ve lived in the U.S. for 12 years, so it would be very special. I have many fans in Brazil and in the United States, and I have gained some fans in Asia as well. It would certainly be very special for me and for my career to have my first MMA fight in the United States.”

ONE on Prime Video 10 will be headlined by 'Mighty Mouse' Demetrious Johnson in a third clash against Adriano Moraes. The two have traded knockouts and the ONE flyweight world title, and on May 5 they will settle their rivalry.