“He is the whole package and the world is his” - ONE CEO says Marcus Almeida will be an MMA legend before his career is over

ONE CEO and Chairman Chatri Sityodtong believes Marcus Almeida is destined for greatness in MMA.

When 'Buchecha,' a 17x BJJ world champion, announced he was transitioning to MMA, there was some skepticism about his ability to develop striking skills. Now that he’s four fights in, the Brazilian has shown that it won’t be a problem. The 33-year-old has won all four fights inside the distance, and Sityodtong is amazed by his improvement.

During an interview with MMA Hoje, the ONE Championship CEO and Chairman had this to say about Almeida:

“I’m super excited guys but mark my words, ‘Buchecha’ is going to be a legend before all this is said and done in the coming years. Of course ‘Buchecha’ is a good friend of mine, he’s a good buddy, but I’m speaking objectively as a lifelong martial artist. Observing ‘Buchecha’ and his growth since he’s joined ONE, his mental strength, he is the whole package and the world is his. Watch out. ‘Buchecha’s’ coming! Brazil let’s go!”

So, what’s next for Marcus Almeida? The BJJ legend made a statement in his last fight against Kirill Grishenko, a former interim world title challenger. He secured a first-round heel hook to separate himself from other top contenders. Going into 2023, the Brazilian is eyeing a world title fight against Anatoly Malykhin.

Watch Marcus Almeida submit Kirill Grishenko below:

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Marcus Almeida wants to fight Anatoly Malykhin for the ONE heavyweight world title

On March 24, interim heavyweight world champion Anatoly Malykhin looks to become the undisputed king by taking out Arjan Bhullar. Although nothing is confirmed, Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida has a solid argument for the next title shot. During an interview with MMA Hoje, the Brazilian BJJ legend had this to say about potentially fighting Malykhin:

“The new champion is Russian right? So I think representing Brazil-United States there against the Russian (Anatoly Malykhin), it would be cool. So I believe he won't lose the belt until he fights me. I believe it will be against him.”

Malykhin’s dominant performance against Reinier de Ridder has created an aura of invisibility. With that said, Bhullar should not be overlooked, considering he hasn’t lost since April 2018. Regardless of who the champion is, 'Buchecha' believes he can take out any heavyweight on the planet with his superior grappling skills.