Martin Buday has gained six of his seven UFC fights since becoming a member of the corporate in 2022 and has by no means been submitted in 17 skilled bouts, however promotional newcomer Marcus Buchecha remains to be closely favored to win their UFC Abu Dhabi conflict.
Forward of their struggle this Saturday, Buchecha disagrees with that sentiment.
“I’m anxious to really feel all that, however I’m not feeling pressured,” Buchecha informed MMA Combating forward of his UFC debut. “I believe the stress is on the opposite facet. Certain, I’ve my titles, I’ve my profession, my historical past in jiu-jitsu, and I’ll take all that have with me to the UFC, however I’m not the favourite.
“If we had been to struggle on the gi, then I’d be the favourite and pressured to win. With that obligation to win, let’s put it this fashion. However in MMA, I don’t really feel that. I by no means did [in ONE Championship], and in addition not within the UFC. I’m new to the game, however I’m coming hungry for this.”
The Brazilian is nothing wanting a legend within the grappling circuit with a report 13 IBJJF world championships as a black belt and a pair of ADCC gold medals gained, plus an extended record of main achievements within the sport. Buchecha joined MMA in 2021 and presently owns a report of 5-1, with all of his wins coming by the use of first-round end. Regardless of the hype, Buchecha isn’t feeling stress on his shoulders to ship.
Having not fought shortly, a compelled layoff had Buchecha contemplating retirement. He desires to make up for misplaced time and struggle once more in 2025 after UFC Abu Dhabi, however a dream probability to be a part of UFC Rio de Janeiro on Oct. 11 may very well be too early.
“The main target is on the twenty sixth. I stay one step at a time,” Buchecha stated. “I need to preserve my toes on the bottom, go there and struggle, after which make that sort of plan. However I’m tremendous excited for this debut. I’m glad to be combating. I’ll carry the jiu-jitsu flag to the world’s biggest and most well-known octagon.”
Buday scored resolution victories over Andrei Arlovski and Uran Satybaldiev in his most up-to-date octagon appearances, rebounding from his lone octagon defeat, a second-round TKO to Shamil Gaziev.
Buchecha provides Buday the “stress” to win given his expertise, and is grateful to have the chance to coach with an extended record of skilled heavyweights over at American High Staff in Florida, from Renan Ferreira to Junior dos Santos to Rodrigo Nascimento, plus a training employees that features Katel Kubis, Steve Mocco, “King Mo” Lawal, Marcos Parumpa, Conan Silveira and Mike Brown.
“He’s a [jiu-jitsu] black belt,” Buchecha stated of Buday. “There’s a whole lot of heavyweights which can be monsters on the toes however know nothing once they hit the bottom. That’s not his case. He’s a black belt and trains jiu-jitsu for fairly some time, however I’ve fought towards black belts my complete life. World championships, all black belts there, so my opponent being a black belt or not doesn’t change something for me as a result of I’ll at all times consider in my jiu-jitsu towards anybody.”
“However I’ve to be ready for any scenario, proper?” he continued. “If the struggle doesn’t go to the bottom we’ve got to remain on the toes, so we’ve got to really feel snug there. I’ll be ready for all areas, prefer it occurred to me once I wasn’t capable of take the struggle to the bottom and needed to struggle on the toes, taking longer for me to get it to the bottom. That is the magic about MMA. The plan doesn’t at all times work, however the fighter has to adapt, has to determine it out.”
