“He’s such a legend” - ‘Buchecha’ gives props to fallen foe Amir Aliakbari after first-round submission at ONE 169

Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend and top ONE Championship heavyweight MMA contender Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida may have just scored the biggest victory of his professional MMA career so far, and he wants to give his esteemed opponent some props.

The 34-year-old took out tough Iranian Amir Aliakbari in the first round of a scheduled three-round heavyweight MMA bout at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video, winning via rear-naked choke.

'Buchecha' effectively snapped Aliakbari's four-fight winning streak with his performance, and put him in pole position for the next crack at the heavyweight MMA gold.

Afterwards, he told veteran ONE Championship broadcast analyst 'The Dragon' Mitch Chilson that he was honored to have taken on such a big name in the sport.

'Buchecha' said:

"It’s great to be here with you again. Last time wasn’t so good, but it is what it is, it’s part of the game. Man, first of all, thanks Amir. He’s such a legend. Two-time World Champion in his sport. I knew I wanted to be like you. It’s an honor. The biggest challenge of my career so far."

Almeida added:

"But man, I was feeling so good. The last fight I had was such a lesson for me. I learned a lot from my mistakes like we spoke. So I just feel blessed to be here, for the opportunity. I’m back!"

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Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida isn't in a rush to figure out his immediate future: "My next goal now is to go to the bar"

There's a lot of speculation surrounding Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida's next move, following an emphatic first-round submission victory over Amir Aliakbari at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video last weekend.

For one, he is certainly, almost assuredly, next in line for a crack at the ONE heavyweight MMA world title, currently held by Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane.

But also, Almeida's contract with ONE Championship is up for renewal.

Speaking to the Bangkok Post in a post-fight interview, 'Buchecha' revealed his next plans, and it's just to grab a cold one.

He said:

"My next goal now is to go to the bar, have a beer, celebrate, and relax. That’s my next goal. And then, I rest, cool down my head, and think about the next steps of my life and my career."

ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video too place live from the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Saturday, November 9. Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action via replay on-demand with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.