Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida – widely regarded as one of the greatest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors of all time – may be on the verge of a major career move…
As reports suggest the UFC has “serious interest” in signing the heavyweight grappler-turned-MMA fighter.

After dominating the world of Jiu-Jitsu with an unmatched collection of IBJJF World titles, Buchecha made the transition to MMA in 2019, stepping away from the sport where he had built his name.
He later debuted under the ONE Championship banner in 2021, where he has remained ever since.

Buchecha’s MMA career launched with serious momentum.
He rattled off four consecutive first-round finishes in under a year, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the promotion.

However, his streak slowed after a lengthy layoff and a unanimous decision loss to Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane – his first professional defeat.
Kane effectively shut down Buchecha’s takedown attempts, neutralizing his world-class grappling and exposing a critical gap in his MMA game.

Nearly a year later, Buchecha bounced back with a signature win: a first-round submission over Amir Aliakbari.
But perhaps the biggest headline didn’t come from the fight itself – it came from what happened after.

As it was revealed that Buchecha had completed his contractual obligations with ONE Championship and would be entering free agency.
And now, as MMA journalist Damon Martin first reported the news via his official X account, the UFC seems to have a “serious interest” in bringing Buchecha into the octagon.

Marcus “Buchecha” is officially a free agent after previously competing in ONE Championship

From what I’m hearing, the UFC has serious interest in signing him.

Buchecha is one of the most decorated grapplers in history and he holds a 5-1 record in MMA with finishes in all wins

— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) July 4, 2025

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