Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida is widely regarded as the premier grappler in MMA’s heavyweight ranks. A reputation he earned long before ever stepping into a cage. After a legendary run in jiu-jitsu, he shifted gears and brought his elite ground game into the world of mixed martial arts, where his success has only continued to grow. However, his debut fight at UFC Abu Dhabi didn’t quite go the way he wanted it to. The fight kicked off with Buchecha wasting no time, landing an early single-leg takedown. But Buday responded well, displaying sharp defensive instincts as he scrambled back to his feet almost immediately. When Buchecha shot in again, Buday shut it down effortlessly.

In the second round, Buday turned up the heat, pressing forward with aggression and forcing Buchecha to stay on the defensive. But Buchecha timed it perfectly, shooting in with explosive speed and securing a deep takedown to finally bring the fight into his world. Once on the mat, he smoothly transitioned to half guard and worked his way to Buday’s back. It looked like the tide was turning — but Buday kept his cool, weathered the storm, and managed to reverse the position late in the round, finishing on top. Still, not before eating a few heavy shots from Buchecha in the process.

In the final round, Martin Buday made a statement early, rocking Buchecha with a crisp left hand that shook the grappling ace. Staying patient and alert, Buday kept his distance, carefully avoiding any desperate takedown attempts. A tired Buchecha started diving for takedowns that Buday easily anticipated. Still, the Brazilian managed to get in deep on one shot, driving Buday to a knee and briefly securing back control with both hooks in. But Buday remained calm under pressure, fending off the choke, scrambling to his feet, and capitalizing on a sloppy transition to reverse the position. He closed the round in dominant fashion, landing clean ground-and-pound from top position.

Eventually, the Brazilian fighter lost the fight via a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) to the underdog Buday. However, more than the result, it was the way the fight went for the BJJ legend. The 35-year-old looked absolutely gassed out during the fight, and although he did show glimpses of his ground game, ‘Buchecha’ failed to cause any sort of damage to his opponent. It seems that ‘Buchecha’ will have to go back to the drawing board and work on his conditioning if he wants to make a name in the UFC. The fans also took notice of the performance and shared their honest opinion on the whole.

BJJ legend gets a brutal reality check from fans after his debut UFC fight

At ONE Championship, Buchecha distinguished himself from typical jiu-jitsu specialists through the evolution of his comprehensive skill set. He’s out there strategically pursuing submissions, never diving for legs without a solid plan in place. He charges forward with determination, maintaining composure amidst the chaos, and when the battle reaches the ground, he asserts dominance with accuracy and command. His approach stands out as calculated, sharp, and far more comprehensive than what many anticipate from a grappler. However, he couldn’t match that performance in his UFC debut fight, and the fans made sure to voice their disappointment.

Taking to the X account, one of the fans commented, “Wouldn’t mind sending Buchecha back to One FC” Another fan made it clear that he is not happy with the BJJ legend and commented, “Not the best debut for Buchecha. Further proof that there’s a significant gap between MMA fighters in ONE Championship compared to the UFC”  Martin Buday walked into the fight as an underdog. However, despite winning, one of the users showed concerns about the result and commented, “They better not rob Buday of that win, especially coming in as a big underdog” 

One of the fans reminded the world as to how conditioning plays a massive role in a fight and commented, “Buchecha wasn’t even prepared for that fight. It really didn’t even seem close” The judges in the UFC have been under scrutiny for quite some time now. This time again, the scorecard of the fight caught the attention of one of the fans and he commented, “Absolute robbery, fire those judges and send them to the Guilhotine” 

Looking at the way Buday showed his dominance in the fight one of the fans didn’t quite think that he fight would end up this close and commented, “Robbery” When the Brazilian walked into the fight, many felt that he would cause a lot of trouble with his ground game. However, one of the users pointed out how his fighting style was pretty predictable and commented, “The constant single leg takedown attempts..” 

Buchecha’s struggles with cardio were clear throughout all three rounds. Fans anticipated Buday’s jiu-jitsu skills to take control from the start, but his relentless pace wore him down. By the third round, Almeida found himself resorting to slower, more predictable wrestling entries. It is a trend that viewers noted during the live broadcast.

‘Buchecha’ has proven in the past that he’s capable of finishing fights in multiple ways. Whether by submission or ground-and-pound, he brings real danger wherever the fight goes. Training full-time at American Top Team in South Florida, he’s constantly leveling up by working alongside world-class fighters and honing his wrestling and striking skills. But what do you feel about the performance of the Brazilian fighter? Can he make a comeback from this loss? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.