Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida has secured his long-awaited UFC debut, with the promotion booking him against Martin Buday at UFC on ABC 9 on July 26th at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
This signing represents the culmination of months of speculation that began when Buchecha became a free agent after his ONE Championship contract expired in July. Speaking on the Connect Cast podcast, the 35-year-old heavyweight made his status clear: “My contract ends in July. From July I’m officially a free agent.”
“So I can do whatever I want.”
The timing couldn’t be more perfect for both parties. Buchecha has been vocal about his desire to return to competition during the summer months, stating, “Soon I’ll say this year. In the summer, which is July, August. This would be my goal. To be able to compete July, August, to compete in MMA.”
What makes Buchecha’s UFC arrival particularly compelling is his flawless finishing record. The multiple-time ADCC and IBJJF champion brings an impressive 5-1 professional MMA record to the octagon, with all five victories coming via first-round finishes. His arsenal has proven devastatingly effective—four submissions and one ground-and-pound TKO demonstrate how seamlessly his world-class grappling translates to mixed martial arts.
His most recent performance at ONE 169 in November showcased exactly why the UFC came calling. Buchecha submitted Amir Aliakbari with a rear-naked choke in the opening round, capping off what would be his final appearance under his previous contract. However, his departure from ONE Championship wasn’t entirely amicable, as frustration with inactivity played a significant role in his decision not to re-sign.
After completing his first four MMA contests in just 11 months, Buchecha hoped to maintain that momentum. Instead, following his submission victory over Kirill Grishenko at ONE FN 1, he was only booked for two additional contests across 26 months—a pattern that clearly didn’t align with his ambitions.
The transition to MMA wasn’t motivated by financial gain, as Buchecha explained:
“Man, I’m not doing this for money. For money, as you said, I could be in the jiu-jitsu.”
Instead, after dominating the grappling world for a decade, he sought fresh challenges.
“I stayed there for 10 years practically at the top, dominating the category these 10 years.”
When discussing the UFC’s heavyweight division, Buchecha expressed genuine confidence in his ability to compete at the sport’s highest level.
“I look at the weight class, it’s a bout that I have the will to get there. I have the will to improve. I look there and say, I can get there. I see myself competing with the guys,”
he stated.
His analytical approach to the sport has been evident in recent podcast appearances, where he’s demonstrated deep understanding of the UFC’s current landscape. On the JAXXON Podcast, when asked about the best jiu-jitsu practitioners in the UFC, Buchecha offered expert insight:
“I would say between Charles Oliveira and Gilbert Burns.”
He emphasized that while Oliveira holds the record for most submissions in the UFC,
“Everybody forgets that Gilbert Burns has amazing [jiu-jitsu].”
The Brazilian legend also highlighted heavyweight Jailton Almeida‘s credentials:
“Number one for me [is] Almeida from the heavyweight… Jailton, he has good jiu-jitsu as well.”
His assessment carries significant weight, given his own elite status in the grappling community.
Buchecha’s opponent, Martin Buday, presents an intriguing challenge. The Slovakian heavyweight enters the bout with a 15-2 record and is riding a two-bout winning streak after consecutive victories over Andrei Arlovski and Uran Satybaldiev. His lone UFC loss came against Shamil Gaziev in December 2023, making this a crucial matchup for both men’s heavyweight aspirations.
Despite acknowledging areas for improvement, Buchecha remains supremely confident about his potential.
“I think there’s a lot to improve, of course, but I’m sure I’ll see myself at the top,”
he said, balancing realistic assessment with unwavering self-belief.
