Grappling legend Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida is still waiting for his ONE Championship debut to be officially announced, but Daniel Cormier is backing him for big things. The 13-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champ is teammates with Cormier at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, and helped prepare the UFC legend for his final fight against Stipe Miocic in August. A client of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdelaziz, “Buchecha” was brought in to strengthen ONE’s thin heavyweight division. “Buchecha’s very talented, I think he’ll do fine,” Cormier told SCMP MMA . “He’s one of the best grapplers I’ve ever felt in my life, and he’s so strong. “He’s so physically gifted, man, that if he’s able to transition or translate a little bit of that grappling knowledge into getting takedowns, getting these fights on the ground, extending and developing the stand-up, he’ll be good to go. “He’s as talented as they come. He’s motivated, he’s driven, he wants to be very good at this.” Khabib would un-retire for GSP fight, not Conor, says manager Brazilian outlet Combate reported last month “Buchecha” will debut in Singapore-based martial arts organisation ONE against Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane (1-0). ONE has not officially confirmed the fight. “The opportunity to learn from one of the greatest heavyweights of all time is great for me,” the Brazilian told SCMP MMA last July, of training with Cormier. “It’s a good environment to be around – one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.”