Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu great Marcus Almeida eyeing return to circle at ONE X

Bengaluru, October 22: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu great Marcus Almeida is keen on return to the circle in December at ONE X as he looks to improve his striking to take on the elites in mixed martial arts.

If there was ever any doubt on whether "Buchecha" Almeida could successfully kick off a career in mixed martial arts, he answered it with a dominant performance last month.

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) icon tapped out Anderson "Braddock" Silva at the 2:55 mark of the first round of their heavyweight clash at ONE: REVOLUTION.

His opponent, a striking specialist, was not given any time to impose his game - and Almeida ensured it stayed that way until he carved his path to victory with a north-south choke.

"My head was thinking about the debut. And now my next step is thinking about my next fight. I think I need to learn how to walk before I can run, so that's what I want to do," the 31-year-old said.

"I'm feeling great. I think it was a perfect night for me. I could use my submissions and my jiu-jitsu. I'm so happy right now."

BJJ is his bread and butter, but to mount a firmer challenge against the other elite heavyweights in ONE Championship, the Sao Paulo native knows he will need much more than grappling.

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"Buchecha" is trying his best to improve his game one aspect at a time because he knows a well-rounded MMA athlete is a far more dangerous opponent than that of a single-discipline practitioner.

His colleagues at American Top Team have been accommodating to his requests, offering him some knowledge in the stand-up arts. That has given him a more diverse arsenal and the confidence he needs should he be called to fight soon.

"All the guys [at American Top Team] helped me so much since day one when I got there. They have treated me as part of the team since day one," the 17-time BJJ Champion said.

"I'm training a lot, and my boxing is getting much better. But I knew if I tried to strike with him, the fight would end in a very different way because he's a legend in kickboxing and much better than me at striking."

Whether or not he receives an offer to compete before the end of the year remains to be seen. But after he enjoyed his successful transition into MMA, Almeida would love to make his second appearance at ONE Championship's biggest card of the year.

"Fifth of December (ONE X) is a big one coming up, so I want to be a part of that. Let's do it," said Almeida.

In the meantime, catch ONE: NEXTGEN on Disney+ Hotstar or Star Sports Select 2 at 6 PM India Standard Time (IST) on Friday (October 29).

Source: Media Release