"‘Reug Reug’ is a scared fighter, so I think ‘Buchecha’ will do very well" - Adriano Moraes is confident in friend Marcus Almeida's chances against Oumar Kane

Adriano Moraes is confident that his close friend Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida will keep is perfect MMA record in his next ONE Championship outing.

‘Buchecha’ will take on ‘Reug Reug’ Oumar Kane at ONE: Eersel vs. Sadikovic on April 22 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in what will be his third MMA fight. Moraes believes Almeida has the capability to not only get a third-straight win, but a third-straight submission as well.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Moraes said ‘Buchecha’ can find space against Kane and shoot for another perfect submission.

Adriano Moraes said of his American Top Team teammate:

“‘Buchecha’ needs to use his footwork a lot. Like I said, ‘Reug Reug’ is a scared fighter. He’s going to want to throw his punches in a straight line. If ‘Buchecha’ works well from a distance, he’ll be able to find the space to grab, take down, and finish the fight.”

The ONE flyweight world champion added that Almeida will be the more active fighter come fight night. Moraes believes his compatriot will first utilize his striking before going for the submission finish.

“I see ‘Buchecha’ moving around a lot, dropping some punches, kicking, keeping his distance, and being smart to put down and finish the fight. I believe this fight ends in the first round by submission.”

‘Buchecha’ had two MMA fights in 2021, both under the ONE Championship banner. The two contests ended in first-round submission wins.

The 32-year-old grappling superstar submitted fellow Brazilian Anderson Silva in September 2021 and followed that up with another submission victory against South Korean knockout artist Kang Ji Won in December.

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Adriano Moraes says ‘Reug Reug’ is not on ‘Buchecha’s level

Kane is a certified knockout artist with three knockouts to his name. The hulking South African can also grapple if the situation arises.

Adriano Moraes, however, believes that ‘Reug Reug’ is far from ‘Buchecha’s level. Almeida is one of the greatest grapplers of his generation, holding 17 Brazilian jiu-jitsu World Championships under his belt.

Discussing Almeida's immense talent, Moraes told ONE:

“I like to say that there are some good jiu-jitsu guys, and there are ‘Buchecha’-level guys. He’s on another level. He is a very complete athlete – he sweeps, passes guard and takes the back. He has his favorite positions, an offensive game that’s unique. In his division, there’s no one who comes close to his level in jiu-jitsu."

We'll find out if Moraes' prediction comes true on April 22 at ONE: Eersel vs. Sadikovic.