Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida is one of the greatest BJJ competitors of all time, and now he’s revealed that he intends to make a return to professional grappling. Not only does Almeida have more IBJJF World Championship titles than anyone else at 13, but he also has a pair of ADCC titles as well. From 2012 onwards, Almeida dominated the heaviest weight classes under pretty much every ruleset and cemented his legacy at the top of the sport. Then in 2019 he decided to step away from the sport, competing in both the IBJJF and ADCC world championships for the final time to date.
Almeida was still in his athletic prime at just 29 when he stepped away from the sport, and he poured his focus into a transition to MMA instead. After two years of preparation, Almeida made his professional MMA debut for ONE Championship and he quickly racked up four first-round finishes in a row. He hit a stumbling block around a year ago though, when he was handed the first loss of his MMA career by decision. He’s taken some time off from competing since then, and at the age of 34 he will likely need to act fast if he wants to work his way up to a title-shot.
Recently Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida conducted an interview with FloGrappling backstage at ADCC 2024 and revealed that although his MMA career takes precedence, he still has one eye on a return to BJJ competition:
“Yeah, for sure I have. Right now, because of MMA, I’m a little bit out. Not for long, so I’m gonna be back really soon.”
He was even asked for clarification and he was very clear in his answer:
“100%. I’m too young to be retired.”
Although he didn’t specify who he might want to make his return to BJJ against, Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida has mentioned potential opponents he would like to face before. Last year he revealed that he was interested in booking a rematch with Gordon Ryan, as Ryan was not only the last man to beat him but also the last person he faced. The two met in the final of the absolute division at ADCC 2019, where Ryan won on penalties and took home the title. Getting revenge against Ryan would be a huge moment for Almeida’s career, as it would allow him to remind a whole new generation of fans of just how good he is.
