Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida’s highly anticipated UFC debut didn’t go as planned – as the legendary grappler dropped a unanimous decision to Martin Buday in the opening bout of UFC on ABC 9.
Almeida entered the UFC with a 5–1 record in ONE Championship, all five wins coming by first-round finish.
But questions remained about how his elite ground game would hold up against UFC-caliber heavyweights with strong takedown defense.
Buday answered those questions early and often.
The first round saw Buchecha repeatedly stuffed on his takedown attempts and picked apart on the feet.
In the second, he finally secured a takedown and showcased flashes of his grappling dominance, but Buday remained composed, eventually reversing the position and landing strikes from top control.
By the third round, however, Buchecha was visibly fatigued, and Buday took over again.
He neutralized further takedown attempts, outstruck Almeida on the feet, and landed solid ground and pound after escaping back control late in the round.
The judges awarded Buday a clear decision victory – one that highlighted both his composure and well-rounded skill set.
Therefore, Buchecha’s debut served as a reminder of how different the MMA arena can be.
Even for a legend of the mats.
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