“I felt the Thailand heat” - Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida says he felt right at home fighting in Bangkok against Amir Aliakbari

Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend and top ONE Championship heavyweight MMA contender Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida had an incredible time in his highly anticipated return to action last weekend.

Almeida stepped back inside the ONE Championship ring to pick up right where he left off, this time against streaking Iranian heavyweight Amir Aliakbari.

'Buchecha' showcased his legendary grappling yet again in a quick submission finish of Aliakbari at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video. The Brazilian legend hardly broke a sweat, taking Aliakbari down with ease and working on a rear-naked choke finish.

The end came at the 3:15 minute mark of round one, much to the delight of the packed Lumpinee Stadium crowd.

Speaking to veteran ONE Championship broadcast analyst Mitch 'The Dragon' Chilson in the ring after the fight, Almeida thanked the Thai crowd for their hospitality.

The BJJ icon said:

"I felt the Thailand heat and I felt great. I love you guys, thank you so much. These guys mean so much to me. They believe in me more than myself. Without them I wouldn’t be here, for sure."

ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video went down live from the iconic 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.

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What's next for Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida after his submission win over Amir Aliakbari at ONE 169 on Prime Video?

Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida successfully returned to action at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Prime Video, with an astounding rear-naked choke submission of Amir Aliakbari, that snapped the Iranian star's four-fight winning streak.

Fans believe 'Buchecha' may be next in line to compete for the ONE heavyweight MMA world title, which is now currently held by Senegalese sensation Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane.

Kane lifted the gold from previously unbeaten Anatoly Malykhin in the evening's main event, and 'Buchecha' could be on queue for the next crack at the throne.

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida's next fight.