‘Buchecha’ says his BJJ mission is over: “I put my name in the history books”

Undefeated ONE athlete Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida is the most successful jiu-jitsu grappler to ever enter the sport of MMA. With 17 world championships in submission grappling under his belt, it's hard to deny that the Brazilian icon is one of the best in history. He has, for a long time, dominated the sport like a god, becoming one of its greatest athletes in both Gi and No Gi.

Since transitioning into MMA in 2021, 'Buchecha' has accepted the fact that his career in competitive Jiujitsu is already in the rear-view mirror. Still, he makes sure that he is still part of the community and regularly shows up in its major tournaments, like the recent IBJJF world championships.

The IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiujitsu Federation) is the longest-running non-profit organization that hosts the most tournaments in jiu-jitsu, hosting its first world championship way back in 1996. Think of the IBJJF Worlds as the Superbowl of jiu-jitsu. 'Buchecha', one of the federation's greatest fighters, was in attendance as a mere observer this year.

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Speaking to The MMA Superfan on YouTube, 'Buchecha' spoke about how he's already moved on from his jiu-jitsu career:

"So I put my name in the history books of this. And I don't feel like there's no one that I really want to face or really want to fight anymore. So it's like a mission accomplished feeling."

Almeida's couldn't be more true. He has nothing to prove in the sport anymore. His record of 17 world championships in Jiujitsu may never be broken. Now that he is absolutely dominating in MMA, 'Buchecha' is bringing to cage fighting all the experience and mastery of a bonafide jiu-jitsu legend.

Fighting under the ONE Championship banner since 2021, Almeida has been nothing short of unstoppable. The BJJ icon made short work of ONE heavyweights Anderson 'Braddock' Silva, Kang Ji Won, and Simon Carson in dominant fashion. Most recently, he submitted former ONE interim heavyweight world title contender Kirill Grishenko inside one minute. All fights ended in the first round.

Right now, the undefeated 'Buchecha' is slated to lock horns with Senegalese wrestling star Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane at ONE Fight Night 13 on August 4. If he stops 'Reug Reug' the same way he dispatched his first four foes, Almeida might be at the cusp of his first world title shot in MMA.

ONE Fight Night 13 will stream live and free on Prime Video in North America.

About the author

Duane is an expert MMA writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience working for the likes of Philippine Star, Esquire Philippines, Playboy Philippines, etc. A major in English, he has written over 2000 articles for Sportskeeda section, extensively covering UFC and boxing fights.

Duane is a practicing MMA fighter with a 11-7 record. He is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt and trains Muay Thai. His connection with MMA dates back to 2005, when he turned into a fan after watching Fedor Emelianenko defeat Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic at Pride FC - Final Conflict 2005.

Emelianenko finds himself right at the top of Duane’s Mt. Rushmore of MMA fighters, alongside other big names like Demetrious Johnson, Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, and Anderson Silva.

Duane’s love for the sport is reflected in his writings, where he believes in speculating but not insinuating. He uses his intensive knowledge and skills in MMA to provide unique insights to the readers, along with sourcing information only from reliable sources.

Outside of work, Duane enjoys martial arts training, visual arts, film criticism, video games, and creative writing.

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Edited by Dave