Jiu-jitsu legend Marcus Buchecha wants to get back in the ONE Championship cage but says the promotion is not offering him fights.
A 13-time IBJJF world champion and two-time ADCC gold medalist, Buchecha hasn’t competed for the Asia-based promotion since August 2023, when he lost a decision in a wild brawl with “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane.
Buchecha was 4-0 in MMA prior to that with four first-round stoppages under the ONE banner over Anderson “Braddock” Silva, Ji Won Kang, Simon Carson, and Kirill Grishenko.
“A lot of people are asking me lately if I retired,” Buchecha wrote on social media. “The answer is of course not, the reason I’m not fighting it’s not my choice, I’ve been out waiting for a fight for almost one year but I don’t have luck getting a fight, that’s the reason I’m away from cage or the mats.
“The right question you should ask me is when I’m fighting again? But right now I’m asking to some people the same thing, to be more precise 13 months. It’s been 13 months of waiting, to be in a situation like that it’s sucks, I don’t wish this to anybody! So if you want this answer, you know who to ask and tag ONE Championship.”
Fellow American Top Team fighters reacted in the comment section asking ONE to give him a fight, and ATT coach Marcos Parrumpa went a step further to call ONE Championship the “worst show ever.”
“Please release him,” Parrumpa wrote. “We want to see him in a good show.”
The battle with Reug Reug went down August 2023, and Almeida hasn’t fought since then. Earlier on Thursday, Almeida posted to social media to complain about the unwanted layoff. According to “Buchecha,” he’s been asking for a fight but has been sidelined so long that people are asking if he’s retired.
“A lot of people are asking me lately if I retired,” he began. “The answer is of course not, the reason I’m not fighting it’s not my choice, I’ve been out waiting for a fight for almost one year but I don’t have luck getting a fight, that’s the reason I’m away from cage or the mats. The right question you should ask me is when I’m fighting again? But right now I’m asking to some people the same thing, to be more precise 13 months. It’s been 13 months of waiting, to be in a situation like that it’s sucks, I don’t wish this to anybody! So if you want this answer, you know who to ask and tag! [One Championship]”
Unfortunately, Buchecha is not alone in having problems with One. The promotion has shifted away from MMA, holding more and more Muay Thai fights. Many theorize that it’s an attempt to keep costs down to improve financial numbers for their next round of fundraising. It’s not just cage fighters either. Pound-for-pound kickboxing king, Chingiz Allazov, is actively feuding with the promotion online and recently announced his intent to fight elsewhere despite his contract with One.
At 34 years of age, Buchecha doesn’t have time to sit around forever. Hopefully, he’s booked sooner than later.
He signed with a promotion that has no real HW division, what does he expect
Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida leaves ONE Championship, in the sights of the UFC
MMA Fighting recently reported that decorated grappler Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida has left ONE Championship and is a free agent.
Almeida signed with ONE in 2020 after cementing his legacy as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend. The 35-year-old, who holds a 4th-degree black belt, is a multi-time world jiu-jitsu and ADCC submission fighting champion.
After transitioning to MMA, ‘Buchecha’ went 5-1 under the ONE banner. His final fight in the Asian organization came last November, when Almeida submitted Amir Aliakbari via rear-naked choke to bounce back from his first and only loss to then-future ONE heavyweight champ ‘Reug Reug’.
According to Damon Martin, ‘Buchecha’ is firmly on the radar of the UFC and could soon enter the heavyweight ranks of the sport’s leading promotion.
Fans react to UFC’s reported interest in ‘Buchecha’ signing
News of Almeida’s entry into free agency and potential UFC signing quickly spread across the MMA community.
The possible arrival of a new type of threat to Aspinall drew out excited reactions from many, who urged the UFC to act on its reported interest in the BJJ legend.
“Please give me Buchecha to the UFC. I need it like I need oxygen. The UFC HW division somehow needs it even more.”
“Buchecha would be a great addition for the UFC. He is, by far, the best heavyweight grappler in MMA (maybe ever).”
I love ONE but they treat their fighters horribly and are quickly running out of money. I don’t think the promotion will be around much longer. It’s a shame because their cards are exciting and I love how they feature different combat sports, especially the MT in small gloves.
Lotta Tidbits posted ^
By far my favorite promotion to watch. I stay up all night just to watch these fights and am rekt the next day.
Watching Jon Di Bella’s The Godfather entrance and his war against Sam-A made it all worth it though. The champ is dodging him, he called him out right after that war and it took him a while to get up from his seat to acknowledge the challenge in Denver. He did not come into the ring to properly accept it and Denver is August 1st so yeah looks like he is fully dodging Jon 
Stamp is supposed to fight in that card too but her knee is only at 75% so I hope they delay that a bit more, she is by far my favorite WMMA fighter and hopefully when One folds (it will) she ends up in a good organization because her striking and now her grappling are just incredible to watch
I lost a bit of money on this card but it was fantastic top to bottom
That was an amazing card! I’m a huge ONE fan and have been watching it for 5 or 6 years now. I at least try to watch every Prime card and try to catch the ONE Fight Night cards on YouTube whenever I can. I wish more people watched and supported the promotion because they are really missing out.
ONE is going to go under for sure it’s just a matter of time. I really hope we can get another promotion just like it but is ran better. I also hope their fighters can find a new home when that day comes. ONE has such an amazing roster and it’s too bad their fighters don’t get the attention and recognition they deserve. Too many people hyperfocused on UFC. They complain their isn’t enough competition yet won’t give anything else a chance.