ONE Championship: Buchecha wary of South Korean KO artist Kang Ji-won – ‘he can finish the fight in any moment’
- BJJ icon Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida will take on unbeaten heavyweight contender at ONE: Winter Warriors on December 3 in Singapore
- ‘I have to be really aware every second,’ Brazilian says ahead of his second MMA bout – ‘he’s really dangerous’
Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida knows a tough challenge when he sees one.
The 31-year-old Brazilian, one of the most accomplished competitors in Brazilian jiu jitsu history, will fight South Korean knockout artist Ji-won Kang at ONE: Winter Warriors on December 3 in Singapore, and is acutely aware of the danger ahead.
“He’s really dangerous,” Buchecha told the Post of Kang, who is riding a first-round knockout win over Amir Aliakbari. “He has a lot of knockout power. He did great, last fight, against Amir. He’s really dangerous, 5-0, undefeated. I have to be really aware, every second of the fight because I know he can finish the fight in any moment.”
The bout with Kang, 26, will be Buchecha’s second in MMA, after he submitted Brazilian kick-boxer Anderson “Braddock” Silva at ONE: Revolution in September.
It will be a stiff challenge, as the South Korean is significantly more experienced in MMA, with five first-round knockouts in five fights.
Buchecha, however, is confident his training will carry him to victory.
“I’m learning the game as fast as I can, because I know it’s going to be just hard challenges from now on,” said the Brazilian, who now trains at American Top Team in South Florida. “I’m ready to go in any kind of situation. If I have to strike with him, I’m ready to go. I’m training so much.”
Heading into the ONE: Winter Warriors card, Kang is already considered one of the top contenders in the ONE heavyweight division, which is ruled by Indian-Canadian wrestler Arjan Bhullar. If Buchecha can topple the South Korean in Singapore, he will most likely swipe his spot near the front of the heavyweight queue.
While the ONE heavyweight title is his ultimate goal, he’s wary of getting ahead of himself.
“I don’t like to think too much how it’s going to be after the fight,” he said. “After the fight, I’ll think about the future. It sounds like a cliché but I’m only thinking about [Kang] right now – nothing about the future.”
Buchecha recognises the fight with Kang could go any number of ways, but is hoping to win the same way he won his debut: with his jiu jitsu, in the first round.
“Any fight of my career I’m going to always wish for the best: that would be a submission, first-round,” he said. “That would be a perfect victory for me.”
