“Shows that your game is fine-tuned” - Buchecha says Rodrigo Marello made a statement with 15-second win

Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida knows a thing or two about finishing an opponent in a quick and decisive manner. Why prolong the inevitable, right?

Taking out your opponent as fast as possible ensures that you don’t take much damage in return and can be ready to go for the next fight. With that said, ‘Buchecha’ was extremely impressed with Rodrigo Marello’s 15-second submission of Ruslan Bagdasarian at ONE 161 last month.

‘Diguinho’ had a debut for the ages as he locked in a devastating straight ankle lock that had the Russian sambo specialist tapping just seconds into their submission grappling match-up.

The swift victory, of course, is a huge win for ONE’s growing submission grappling scene. After all, it showcased the beauty of grappling-exclusive match-ups when performed at the highest level.

‘Buchecha’, a legend in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community, was in awe of his compatriot’s stellar showing. While the hulking heavyweight is only competing in mixed martial arts matches inside the circle at the moment, he appreciates good BJJ when he sees it.

In an interview with ONE Championship, the 32-year-old praised Marello’s killer instinct and impeccable ground skills. He shared:

“Getting a quick finish is the perfect scenario. In 15 seconds, even better [laughs]. This shows that your game is fine-tuned and so are your submissions. You have 10 minutes to finish, and you know how much time you have to work. You have 10 minutes to prove that you are better than your opponent. When I see a quick submission like that, I know how difficult it is, because that's what I always look for in my fights too.”

While some fans would have loved to see more of Marello’s arsenal throughout the 10-minute match, ‘Buchecha’ couldn't have asked for a better performance. He certainly appreciated the high-level technique and attention to detail that went into Marello’s lightning-quick submission. A finish like that can only be pulled off by individuals who have spent countless hours on the mats, drilling that technique to perfection.

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‘Buchecha’ breaks down Marello’s foot lock

Marcus Almeida knows just how destructive leg attacks can be in BJJ as he used it in his last MMA outing against the tough Kirill Grishenko.

‘Buchecha’, who stretched his undefeated streak to 4-0 inside the circle, caught the Belarusian wrestler with a wicked heel hook that had him screaming "uncle" in under two minutes. It marked the fastest win of his young MMA career so far, and he was able to keep his amazing record of a 100% finish rate in the first round.

While Marello opted to attack the foot against the Bagdasarian in their match-up, he used a similar leg lock entry as his fellow BJJ black belt. ‘Buchecha’ described Marello’s finish in the same interview:

“Rodrigo's submission was very good. That foot lock works great. There are several jiu-jitsu athletes who use it very well with the gi. He managed to apply it well, submit, and earn the bonus.”

The American Top Team representative further elaborated:

“It is a foot lock that takes a lot, especially among athletes in the lighter categories, because they are more elongated and in this position, you need to be a little more elongated to fit the hook and fit the foot lock. The bonus he earned was well deserved. He is to be congratulated!”