Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida has finally broken his silence about the contractual nightmare that nearly drove him to retirement. He revealed how ONE Championship’s restrictive agreement left him unable to compete in any sport for extended periods.
The 35-year-old heavyweight recently secured his UFC debut against Martin Buday at UFC on ABC 9 on July 26th in Abu Dhabi. He described the psychological toll of being sidelined despite his eagerness to compete.
After completing his first four MMA contests in just 11 months, Buchecha found himself with only two additional bookings across 26 months.
“It crossed my mind many times to retire because I couldn’t take it no more, that was killing me inside,” Buchecha told. “Not having a fight and not being able to fight. When you have a contract like that, not only with that organization, when you can’t even fight in other sports. In this case, imagine me being unable to even compete in jiu-jitsu. That was something that bothered me a lot.”
The revelation highlights a particularly troubling aspect of his ONE Championship deal. The prohibition extended beyond mixed martial arts to prevent him from competing in his original discipline of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. For someone who dominated the grappling world for a decade, earning multiple ADCC and IBJJF championships, being barred from jiu-jitsu competition represented an especially painful restriction.
“It was hard to get out of that contract, but we did it,” Buchecha explained. “I went there and was a man [of my word], signed a six-fight contract and did all my six fights and left through the front door. But now, as you said, I’m free. I’m excited to fight. It’s been a while since I’ve entered a fight without all that stress in the backstage.”
The multiple-time world champion emphasized that his departure wasn’t about financial considerations. “Man, I’m not doing this for money. For money, as you said, I could be in the jiu-jitsu,” he stated on the Connect Cast podcast. Instead, after a decade of dominance in grappling, he sought new challenges in mixed martial arts.
Buchecha’s American Top Team teammate revealed that ONE Championship never provided explanations for the lengthy gaps between bookings, leaving him in limbo while under contract. The situation became so dire that retirement seemed like the only escape route from what he described as a mentally damaging situation.
“Many people only see what happens when you step into the ring or cage and fight, but there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. It’s a lot of stress. It’s bad for the mental health of the athlete. I’ve had bad days, but now it’s all in the past. There’s only good things coming ahead,” he shared.
The contrast between his ONE Championship experience and his new UFC arrangement couldn’t be starker. While his previous contract expired in July, requiring an eight-month waiting period, the UFC moved quickly to secure his services. “My contract ended now, and I’m already fighting later this month,” he noted with evident satisfaction.
His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, played a crucial role in navigating the complex exit process, helping Buchecha maintain his professional obligations while positioning him for future opportunities. “After I finished my contract, after I did all six fights, I had to wait that matching period, which every contact has, but I already knew what I wanted, that I didn’t want to re-sign with them,” Buchecha explained.
The Brazilian brings an impressive 5-1 professional MMA record to the UFC, with all five victories coming via first-round finishes. His most recent performance at ONE 169 in November showcased this potential when he submitted Amir Aliakbari with a rear-naked choke in the opening round.
Looking ahead to his UFC debut, Buchecha expressed genuine enthusiasm about competing without the contractual constraints that plagued his previous arrangement. “When they said the UFC wanted to sign me, I said, ‘I don’t even want to know when and against who, get me a fight,'” he revealed.
His opponent, Martin Buday, presents a significant challenge, entering with a 15-2 record and riding a two-bout winning streak. The Slovakian heavyweight has compiled six victories in seven UFC appearances, making him a formidable test for Buchecha’s promotional debut.
“[Buday] is ranked, he’s tough. He’s a veteran in the UFC because he already has seven fights and six wins there, so he’s very tough. He has a lot of experience, way more than me in the sport, but I’m driven by challenges. I’m sure this will be the biggest challenge of my career so far, but I’m excited,” Buchecha stated.
The venue holds special significance for the Brazilian legend, as Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena has been the site of many of his greatest grappling triumphs. Now, he’ll return to the same city seeking to establish himself in the UFC’s heavyweight division, free from the contractual restrictions that once threatened to end his competitive career prematurely.
