"Chess Game with the Living Legend" - Buchecha rolls with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

ONE Championship heavyweight 'Buchecha' Marcus Almeida recently got the opportunity to roll with the legendary MMA fighter and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu player 'Minotauro' Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

Almeida recently shared on Instagram:

"That Chess Game with the Living Legend ['Minotauro' Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira]! What a honor be able to train with Idols and Friends, things that only Sport can give us! Thanks Minota! #TheBestHeavyWeighOfAllTime."

In the above video, 'Buchecha' and 'Minotauro' trade positions and also exchange submissions such as an attempted knee bar and an omoplata. The two heavyweight grapplers proceeded cautiously out of respect for one another’s dangerous game.

'Buchecha' has won dozens of championship titles during his time competing as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu athlete. In 2021, he made his debut in MMA. So far in ONE Championship, he has won all of his bouts by way of first-round stoppage.

'Minotauro' Nogueira is a legend of MMA. He held heavyweight titles in PRIDE FC and the UFC, having faced great fighters such as Fedor Emelianenko, Mirko Cro Cop, Mark Coleman, Josh Barnett, and many others.

Nogueira is a fifth-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a black belt in Judo. In BJJ, Nogueira made his name competing in ADCC and Brazilian national championships. Additionally, he coached notable students such as 'The Spider' Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, Patricky Freire, and Lyoto Machida, among others.

Marcus Almeida is just coming off a major victory and is looking for a fight in ONE soon.

---

'Buchecha' Marcus Almeida on his next ONE Championship fight

Brazilian heavyweight MMA fighter Marcus Almeida is making a major name for himself in ONE Championship. He defeated two of his opponents by way of first-round submission. His most recent victory was a first-round TKO stoppage.

Despite being undefeated, the heavyweight fighter says he still wants to improve. In his post-fight interview, after his most recent victory, he said:

"It's been a really difficult time for me to get an opponent, so much respect for Simon Carson to take the fight. He signed the contract and he showed up, just like I did, so much respect for him. So now, I don't think too much about opponents [because] they keep changing. So, I'm gonna go home, get better, get training and show up. So I don't care who I'm going against. I'm gonna be prepared. I'm gonna give my best and that's it."

He was scheduled to face 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane twice but both bouts fell through. Now, Marcus says he does not care who his next opponent is as long as they show up and fight.

Though he is not yet officially scheduled, 'Buchecha' Marcus Almeida will likely be back in the ONE circle later this year.