“I want to use my jiu-jitsu as he used his” - ‘Buchecha’ wants to emulate Reinier de Ridder’s success

Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida will make his highly-anticipated return to the circle at ONE on Prime Video 1 when the promotion makes its return to U.S. primetime. On that night, Almeida will face his toughest test yet in the form of Belarusian striker Kirill Grishenko in a heavyweight MMA clash.

Grishenko will look to bounce back from his first career loss earlier this year, when Anatoly Malykhin claimed the ONE interim heavyweight world title in their matchup.

On the other side of the coin, ‘Buchecha’ hopes to keep his undefeated streak alive on August 26. After three consecutive first-round finishes, fans are excited to see what Almeida brings against Grishenko.

As a 17-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, Almeida has relied heavily on the ground game to get the job done. In fact, Almeida has been so effective when using his BJJ in the circle that he is yet to see the clock hit 3:00 in any one of his fights.

In preparation for his showdown with Grishenko, Almeida is working with some of the best grapplers in the world, including reigning two-division world champion Reinier de Ridder.

During a recent excursion to the United States, ‘The Dutch Knight’ spent some time at American Top Team, the gym that houses some of the biggest MMA stars in the world, including Almeida.

While speaking to ONE Championship regarding his experience rolling with the undefeated two-division world champion, Almeida said:

“I want to use my jiu-jitsu as he used his in his fights in his career. So that was really inspiring for me and a great opportunity. It was amazing the way that he trains, the way that he felt the game. It was great for me, not just to train but to learn a lot with him.”

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Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida is ready to show off his striking game despite BJJ acumen

Marcus Almeida was complimentary of ‘The Dutch Knight’ and showed appreciation for the opportunity to learn from another fighter who has used the ground game so successfully in the circle.

“The training was really great, actually. It was amazing to train with him because he’s coming from a grappling background, and you see how he used his jiu-jitsu.”

Through three fights under the ONE banner, ‘Buchecha’ has relied heavily on his BJJ game. It makes sense given the fighter’s incredible BJJ acumen, but before long, Almeida will need to rely on his hands as his opponents become more dangerous.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Almeida discussed his reliance on the ground game thus far, but indicated that he is ready to bring out his striking game when necessary.

“I know that if I accept a fight, that's because I believe I can win and my expectations are the best. He's a great wrestler. But I believe in my wrestling too. I believe in my jiu-jitsu and I believe in my striking too. I couldn't show much, but I'm striking a lot in the gym. So sooner or later, I have to do it up there, the time is coming.”

Catch the interview below: