Jiu-jitsu legend Marcus Buchecha has dealt with several fight cancellations since his transition to MMA, and it was no different ahead of his return to the ONE Championship cage in 2022.
Buchecha, who faces Simon Carson at Friday’s ONE 158 in Singapore, had three different opponents earlier this year. He was first booked in April against Oumar Kane (Reug Reug), who later withdrew for undisclosed reasons. Hugo Cunha stepped in for May 20, but tested positive for COVID-19. A third heavyweight agreed to face him on short notice on that day, but also couldn’t make it.
“This fight is my fourth opponent. It’s been a complicated battle, but I am doing my part. Buchecha stated that he would fight any name they give him on the latest episode of MMA Fighting podcast Trocacao Franka HTML1. “I’m not even thinking about a specific opponent anymore, I’ll just go there and do my thing and pray that everything works out and the fight happens.
“That has been delaying my career and my plans. I would have had six fights, but now I want to get my third. How can I help? I’ll only believe [the fight is happening] when we touch gloves in the cage and actually fight.”
“Reug Reug was supposed to confront Buchecha in 2021, 2022,. However it didn’t happen. He was defeated by Ji Won Kang in December that year eight months later than the original scheduled date. Thomas Narmo also withdrew from a bout with the Brazilian grappler this past September.
When Buchecha was asked if they believe that all of them had plausible explanations for their pullouts he said, “it’s difficult to know if it wasn’t something planned but it’s all very strange .”
“He said. “I do my part, I’m a professional. After I sign a contract, I honor it. It’s more than a paper piece. My word is important. I was there .”
The American Top Team heavyweight flew to Singapore from Florida for the May 20 Card and was without an opponent. He immediately agreed to be part of the June 3 show and stayed in Thailand, working at Phuket with the likes of Roan Carneiro and Douglas Lima, to face whomever at ONE 158.
Carson, who got the call to compete on Friday, is 2-1 as a professional MMA heavyweight, scoring both wins by first-round knockout with a submission defeat in between.
” From what I have seen, Buchecha stated that Buchecha is a striking fighter and a black belt of jiu jitsu. “He doesn’t have much experience in theory, only three fights, but I think I’m a dangerous guy and I only have two fights, so that doesn’t mean much. As always .”
, I need to be alert.
If Buchecha is victorious under the ONE banner in his third appearance, Buchecha will take two weeks off from work to recuperate from another training camp. He also plans to be part of Amazon Prime’s first card later this year.
“I know they’re doing that card soon, maybe in August, and I plan on being on it,” he said. “It’s going to be a big card, the first time on Amazon Prime, and I want to be part of it.”
