‘Buchecha’ says Khabib Nurmagomedov retired too young: “He could’ve done much more”

17-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion and rising ONE Championship heavyweight mixed martial arts fighter Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida has followed the sport of MMA for a long time. When he made the transition from grappling to the cage, it was a natural shift for the Brazilian.

In addition to being one of the hottest talents in the game right now, ‘Buchecha’ is also a huge fan of the sport, with one of his favorite fighters being the retired Russian stalwart Khabib 'The Eagle' Nurmagomedov.

As a former UFC champion who was undefeated when he retired in 2020, Nurmagomedov is considered by many to be among the best of all time. But is he the absolute greatest?

In a recent guest appearance on the Jaxxon Podcast, Almeida shared his thoughts on Khabib's career, especially how it ended:

“I think I wouldn’t say he’s the greatest because he could’ve done much more right? But he retired young. That’s why I didn’t say he’s special or what [in terms of being the best MMA fighter].”

Catch the podcast clip below:

At the moment, Almeida is on his own path to greatness. The Brazilian legend could potentially end up as the best to ever do it when it’s all said and done. As of now, ‘Buchecha’ has the chance to further his MMA career if he can get past his next opponent.

Marcus Almeida is set to face Senegalese wrestling champion Oumar ‘Reug Reug’ Kane at ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian on Prime Video. The event will be broadcast live from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, August 4.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action for free on Amazon Prime Video.