“Hell of a fight” - Fans try to catch their breath watching the pace heavyweights ‘Reug Reug’ and ‘Buchecha’ unleashed in Bangkok

If there’s a bout that propelled Oumar ‘Reug Reug; Kane to the brink of a ONE heavyweight MMA world championship opportunity, it was his grueling clash with Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida at ONE Fight Night 13 in August 2023.

ONE Championship recently rekindled the excitement of this high-octane battle by sharing its highlights on Instagram, reminding fans of the electrifying showdown:

At the time, Almeida appeared destined for a crack at 26 pounds of gold, riding the momentum of an unbeaten four-fight streak.

Many believed ‘Reug Reug’ would simply be another footstool in the Brazilian’s rise to heavyweight glory. Unfortunately for the 17-time BJJ world champion, the Senegalese juggernaut was prepared to play the spoiler.

From the opening bell, Kane imposed his will, landing devastating strikes that left 'Buchecha' struggling to enforce his grappling game.

His relentless volley of solid hooks and uppercuts stifled Almeida's takedown attempts and submission efforts, showcasing a tenacity only a few had anticipated.

By the end of the exhausting three-round war, it was Kane’s hand that was raised, earning a unanimous decision victory and delivering one of the most significant upsets in ONE heavyweight history.

Fans poured into the comments section of the Instagram post to celebrate the warrior spirit both fighters displayed in the ring:

“That looked like a hell of a fight! Damn!”

“I would like to watch those two scrap in a cage, not in the ring.”

“Unbelievable! So much respect for both of them.”

“Machine fight.”

“War, my brother Buchecha had the chance twice to finish.”

This landmark victory catapulted ‘Reug Reug’ into title contention, setting the stage for his showdown with then-champion Anatoly Malykhin at ONE 169 this past November.

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‘Reug Reug’ realized dream of becoming world champion

When Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane finally locked horns with Anatoly Malykhin for the coveted belt, he had to once again overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.

Despite Malykhin's vaunted knockout power, Kane took control early, securing a takedown in the first round and dominating the clinch to wear down his opponent.

'Reug Reug' hammered the final nail in the coffin when he dropped Malykhin with a left hand, forcing the Russian to pull out all the stops to survive and go the distance.

In the end, all three judges saw it in Kane’s favor, logging his name in the record books as Africa’s first-ever ONE world champion.