The UFC heavyweight division has added an intriguing new name.
Jon Jones is no longer champion after Dana White confirmed his retirement following a two-year absence from the sport. That paved the way for interim champion Tom Aspinall to be promoted to undisputed champion, ushering in a new era for the division.
Aspinall already has plenty of options for his first defence, with names like Ciryl Gane, Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida all in the mix. And now, there’s another name to consider — one with a serious grappling pedigree.
Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida to make UFC debut in Abu Dhabi
The UFC has signed Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida and he is set to make his promotional debut against Martin Buday on July 26 at UFC Abu Dhabi, according to a report from Bert MMA.
The Brazilian grappler arrives with a 5-1 record in MMA and an incredible 17 Brazilian jiu-jitsu world titles under his belt. He last competed at ONE 169, where he submitted Amir Aliakbari in the first round.
At 35, Almeida’s only MMA loss came against current ONE heavyweight champion Oumar ‘Reug Reug’ Kane. But his skillset has many excited about how he’ll fare in this new chapter.
His first UFC test won’t be easy. Buday is 15-2 as a pro with a 6-1 record inside the Octagon, riding back-to-back wins over Uran Satybaldiev and former champion Andrei Arlovski.
Buchecha’s impressive BJJ credentials make many fans view him as “the best heavyweight grappler in MMA” and a potential threat to Tom Aspinall’s reign.
Buchecha fuels hype for UFC Abu Dhabi
UFC Abu Dhabi is quietly shaping up to be one of the year’s strongest Fight Night cards.
The main event features former UFC champion Robert Whittaker taking on ex-ONE dual champ Reinier de Ridder in a five-round clash.
Movsar Evloev, still unbeaten in his career, welcomes Bellator star Aaron Pico for what looks like a clear title eliminator in the featherweight division.
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Former bantamweight champion Petr Yan will also make his return, taking on #13-ranked Marcus McGhee in a bid to climb back into title contention.
And Bryce Mitchell, long seen as a rising name at featherweight, will make his bantamweight debut against Said Nurmagomedov. Meanwhile, the 15-1 Shara Magomedov returns to face Marc-André Barriault in a bout with plenty of divisional intrigue.
A stacked line-up, with the debut of Marcus Almeida now adding even more depth to the event.
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