Image Credit: ONE
Arjan Bhullar on Buchecha’s early MMA progress
ONE Championship heavyweight champion Arjan Bhullar recognizes talent when he sees it, and up and coming mixed martial arts superstar Marcus Buchecha is a fighter who has caught the champ’s attention.
While Bhullar may not have a fight set for the near future, he is keeping an eye on the rest of the division and that includes the grappling sensation in Buchecha who will be competing this Friday at ONE: 158 in Singapore.
“‘Buchecha’ is coming along,” Bhullar said. “Even in jiu-jitsu, it was MMA-friendly jiu-jitsu where he liked his takedowns. He wasn’t a pulling guard type of guy. He’s a physical guy. So then coming into MMA, he’s hooked up with a good team with ATT.
“It’ll take time for him, but he’s coming along. He started to really mix his strikes into his takedowns and [in] every fight, he is looking more and more comfortable. It’s good to see.”
Buchecha is a two-time ADCC champion and 13-time Jiu Jitsu World Champion who has successfully transitioned to mixed martial arts and while still young in MMA career, Buchecha boasts an undefeated 2-0 record. The 32-year-old Brazilian will tangle with Simon Carson (2-1) this weekend.
Bhullar also spoke on his background and why he would be interested in fighting Buchecha:
“This is MMA,” the champion said. “He’s only a few fights in and unproven in my opinion. So, it remains to be seen [whether he’s the best grappler in the sport]. But if you’re looking at just accolades, a resume based on jiu-jitsu, yes, absolutely. Let’s see if he’s able to duplicate that in the world of MMA.
“He’s a winner – he’s been winning for a long time – and a great athlete. That would definitely be a fight that interests me and gets me excited.”
