WATCH: Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida works on his “greatest asset” with flexibility training

Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida shared a video of him attempting to connect his body and soul.

‘Buchecha’ is a 17-time BJJ world champion who has found tremendous success in MMA thus far. Although his hard work has led to superior physical attributes, the ONE Championship heavyweight has continued to evolve by incorporating mental training. He recently posted an Instagram video showcasing an intriguing part of his training with the following caption:

"'Your body is your greatest asset, it guards and reflects the soul!' Great @u.naturalmethod training session with @raphaelromano !”

After becoming one of the most credentialed BJJ competitors of all time, ‘Buchecha’ transitioned to MMA, making his ONE debut in September 2021. He quickly went to work, utilizing his grappling skills to secure two first-round finishes against Anderson ‘Braddock’ Silva and Kang Ji Won.

Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida took his MMA career to the next level in 2022. He defeated Simon Carson with a first-round TKO before being matched up against former interim title challenger Kirill Grishenko. The BJJ legend put the division on notice by securing a first-round heel hook, solidifying himself as a legitimate future title contender.

Watch Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida's training video below:

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Where does Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida stand in the ONE Championship heavyweight division?

Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida has validated his hype, but he likely needs another win before earning a title shot. Although ONE has not officially announced his next opponent, ‘Buchecha’ could find himself facing Iranian wrestler Amir Aliakbari, who defeated former heavyweight world champion Brandon Vera last time out.

Aliakbari started his ONE tenure with a 0-2 record before turning everything around with back-to-back finishes. Another heavyweight to watch is Oumar ‘Reug Reug’ Kane, who is on a two-fight win streak and is arguably one of the easiest fighters to promote on the roster.

There is also a chance ‘Buchecha’ fights for the heavyweight world championship next time out. Reigning heavyweight king Arjan Bhullar is expected to fight interim title holder Anatoly Malykhin on March 24. With that said, rumors are circulating about the intriguing matchup potentially being canceled for undisclosed reasons, leaving the division without a clear future.