Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida, one of the most successful Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes in history, seems to have closed the chapter on his gi competition career.

During a recent appearance on the Connect Cast podcast, the 13-time IBJJF World Champion shared his reflections on his legacy and explained why he doesn’t plan on returning to the sport that made him a household name:

I think it was a closed chapter.
I did what no one did.

Buchecha’s final appearance at the IBJJF World Championship came in 2019, ending a decade of dominance that began with his first world title win in 2011.
Over those ten years, he became known as one of the sport’s most complete athletes, excelling in both gi and no-gi competition.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the temporary halt of Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, Buchecha used the moment as a turning point.
He began training in MMA full-time, joining forces with elite fighters like Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez.

Despite the ongoing evolution of professional grappling, including larger prize purses and more exposure, Buchecha says money was never the deciding factor:

I wasn’t going to wake up to do a fight that I’ve been doing for so long.
My first world championship was 2011, and the last one was 2019.

I stayed there for 10 years practically at the top, dominating the category these 10 years.

He emphasized that his decision to step away came from a sense of personal fulfillment:

In 2019, I still wanted to fight, but I realized that I wasn’t going after anyone anymore.
I didn’t need to pass him, I didn’t need to pass Roger, I didn’t need to pass Fulano.

I was fighting to be better than I was last year.

That shift in motivation became even more personal over time:

The search was no longer for anyone, it was me trying to be better than myself.
And when you beat your goal, you get calm to stop.

When asked if any matchup might tempt him back to the mats, Buchecha admitted that a superfight with Roger Gracie would be the only one that could catch his attention.
Though he added that he’s not chasing that opportunity either.

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