Brazilian heavyweight star Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida did not always dream of becoming a martial arts legend.
Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, he routinely hit the beach and wanted to become a professional surfer. However, riding the waves would not be his calling. During his teenage years, Almeida followed in his father and sister’s footsteps, where he began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It was there that he found his true passion.
Once “Buchecha” got on the mats, he fell in love with the grappling art and was determined to master the craft. The Brazilian claimed his first IBJJF World Title in 2010 in no-gi competition, and following his victory, he received his black belt while on the podium. Ultimately, he would become a 17-time BJJ World Champion. Most notably, he won six of those titles in the openweight category, which is a record that still stands today.
After feeling like he had accomplished everything he could in the BJJ world, Almeida decided to make the transition into MMA and signed with ONE Championship in July 2020. The heavyweight has since made a massive impact in the world’s largest martial arts organization, where he has used his signature grappling, ground control, and powerful submissions to great effect. In fact, he finished his first four opponents in the first round.
“Buchecha” embraces the martial arts spirit, and he works every day to improve his techniques and become the best all-around fighter he can possibly be. That mentality has paid dividends thus far, and he is quickly becoming the most feared heavyweight combat sports athlete on the planet.
