"We are back on track" - 'Buchecha' "blessed" to return to winning ways against Amir Aliakbari at ONE 169
Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida is over the moon after steering his career back on track at ONE 169 on Nov. 8.
The 17-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion saw his perfect 4-0 streak — accumulated with wins over Anderson Silva, Kang Ji Won, Simon Carson, and Kirill Grishenko — come to an end against now-reigning ONE heavyweight MMA world champion 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane.
But with time to improve on his game, the American Top Team and Evolve MMA showed that his loss to the Senegalese warrior was nothing but a usual bump on his way to the top inside the Lumpinee Stadium last Friday.
After a brief feeling-out period, 'Bucheca' shifted into gear and threw everything at Amir Aliakbari. And just over the three-minute mark, he eventually submitted the Iranian to bump his resume to 5-1.
The Brazilian couldn't contain his emotions during a post-fight interview with Bangkok Post, addressing what the victory meant to him:
"I feel blessed for the opportunity, even better for the victory. We are back on track."
Apart from keeping his 100 percent finish rate intact, the American-based athlete received a US$50,000 performance bonus.
Watch the full interview here:
'Buchecha' holds respect for Amir Aliakbari despite first-round finish in Lumpinee
'Buchecha' is never one to bite more than he can chew. And that humble demeanor shaped him into one of the most likable figures in the BJJ realm.
The same can be said for his career in MMA, as he has never once dissed his opponent in victory or defeat.
During the same interview, the Brazilian tipped his hat off to Aliakbari for making it a tough fight for as long as it lasted in Bangkok, Thailand:
"I have such great respect for Amir Aliakbari. He's a great champion, former Greco-Roman champion. I knew it would be a very tough fight."