Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida takes aim at “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane: “My goal is to finish it in the first round”

Despite the tantalizing prospect of a World Title shot, Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida remains resolute in keeping his gaze firmly fixed on the task at hand, choosing to value the challenge before him rather than the potential rewards that lie ahead.

The unbeaten Brazilian star is set to face “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane in a pivotal heavyweight MMA battle at ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian on Prime Video, which broadcasts live from the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, August 4.

While there have been insinuations that a fifth victory in a row for “Buchecha” could place him first in line to challenge two-division kingpin Anatoly Malykhin for the ONE Heavyweight World Championship, he isn’t looking too far ahead.

“A lot of people ask me about this. I really don’t think [about it,] and I don’t care about it. I leave it in the hands of my coaches and my manager. I’m just a fighter; I go there and do my job,” Almeida stated.

“When my manager and coaches think I’m ready, I’ll be ready. I don’t fight, thinking that the next one might be for the belt. I just go there and do my job.”

Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida Breaks Down “Reug Reug” Oumar Kane

The 33-year-old grappler understands the danger of underestimating an opponent like Kane, who has taken the division by storm with his powerful Senegalese wrestling background and explosive striking.

“‘Reug Reug’ is a very tough guy. He comes from a good sequence of victories. ‘Reug Reug’ is a guy who comes from grappling and has a very good foundation,” Almeida said.

Kane has won three of his last four outings under the ONE Championship banner, with two wins coming via TKO.

Moreover, the Senegal native demonstrated his superior grappling and top control in his most recent outing this past December, beating Jasur Mirzamukhamedov by unanimous decision.

With both men bringing unique skill sets to the table, “Buchecha” anticipates that his fearsome opponent will put forth a herculean effort to keep the fight standing when they collide on Friday evening.

“I think he’ll try to keep the fight on the feet. He’s definitely been training a lot on takedown defense and striking. I think those are his strong points,” he shared.

Almeida, a 17-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion, has made a seamless transition into MMA since his ONE debut in 2021, racking up four consecutive first-round wins, with three victories coming by submission and one via technical knockout.

While he is undoubtedly eyeing an early finish to continue his ascent up his competitive weight class,“Buchecha” is fully prepared to go the distance if necessary.

“My goal is to finish it in the first round. That’s always the goal. But if that doesn’t happen, I am prepared for 15 minutes of fighting. But without a doubt, the goal is a submission in the first round, as it happened in my previous fights,” he declared.