Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida didn’t see a first-round finish for Anatoly Malykhin against Reinier de Ridder

Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almedina knows a thing or two about first-round finishes. In four career wins, he is yet to experience a second round. Every time the 17-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion steps into the circle, he expects a first-round finish for himself, but he certainly didn’t expect one to happen between Anatony Malykhin and Reinier de Ridder.

The Russian juggernaut squared off with ‘The Dutch Knight’ in a champion vs. champion showdown at ONE on Prime Video 5 in December. Both warriors entered the bout undefeated in their combat sports careers, though each one got there in significantly different ways.

Anatoly Malykhin's heavy hands regularly put his opponents’ lights out while Reinier de Ridder’s superior grappling skills made him a two-division ONE world champion.

It was a classic matchup of an irresistible force versus an immovable object. Something had to give, but nobody, especially 'Buchecha,' expected Malykhin to come straight out of the gate and put de Ridder away with a series of stunning strikes in the opening round of their December showdown. Reminiscing about the jaw-dropping finish in an interview with the South China Morning Post, ‘Buchecha’ said:

“I guess Anatoly had better skills and he got the job done. But to be honest I was surprised. I wasn’t sure he would win but I didn’t expect a first-round victory for sure for Anatoly. I thought it could go either way but I wasn’t expecting a first-round finish for sure.”

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‘Buchecha’ shares his prediction for Anatoly Malykhin vs. Arjan Bhullar

Reigning ONE heavyweight world champion Arjan Bhullar is scheduled to make his long-awaited return to the circle on March 24 for ONE Fight Night 8 on Prime Video. He’ll face current interim heavyweight titleholder Anatoly Malykhin to determine who will be crowned the undisputed heavyweight king of ONE Championship.

During his interview with SCMP MMA, ‘Buchecha’ shared his prediction for next month’s massive heavyweight main event showdown:

“It’s hard to say since they both have a similar game. They have fast hands and good wrestling and good takedown defense. But the last time Arjan [Bhullar] fought was against Brandon Vera years ago. So I think Anatoly [Malykhin], he got the rhythm and he’s being active a lot. So I think that gives him a huge advantage over Arjan. My guess is likely I’m giving the advantage for Anatoly.”

Will Arjan Bhullar return to reclaim his spot at the top of the heavyweight pack or will Anatoly Malykhin’s stock continue to rise in ONE Championship? Share your predictions in the comments section below.