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Kirill Grishenko says he isn’t afraid of BJJ monster Buchecha
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Belarusian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Kirill Grishenko walks into ONE Championship’s Circle ahead of his world title bout with Anatoly Malykhin in February. (ONE Championship)
M
arcus “Buchecha” Almeida is one of the most decorated grapplers in history, but Kirill Grishenko is unfazed ahead of their heavyweight mixed martial arts showdown on Aug. 27.
Grishenko will go toe-to-toe with the 17-time Brazilian Jiujitsu (BJJ) world champion in a heavyweight mixed martial arts (MMA) clash at ONE Fight Night 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II live in Singapore Indoor Stadium.
While Buchecha has a perfect 3-0 record in MMA so far – the Belarusian is determined to put an end to his upcoming opponent’s clean slate.
“At the end of the day, MMA is a tough sport and athletes often get injured during their fight camps in sparring. I’m not afraid of him – training camp is in full swing. I can’t wait to face him,” Grishenko said.
He is aware of the threat the Brazilian possesses and the world-class grappling repertoire Buchecha can present inside the cage. However, he is confident of his own arsenal.
The decorated Greco-Roman wrestler believes he can get his hand raised to leave Singapore with a historic win over a well-respected opponent.
“I think he’s a high-level grappler, a living legend, who has achieved a lot [in BJJ]. If he can improve his striking, he has a chance to be a champion [in MMA]. Now, he relies on his ground game too much,” he said.
“He has impressed me with his skills on the ground, but not with his striking – it is too basic, too slow. If he wants to stay at the top of the game, he needs to become a well-rounded fighter.
“I know what I’m capable of. He’s got the advantage on the ground overall, and particularly in grappling, but not by a landslide. I can beat him in striking. I’m working on my striking a lot right now and my [wrestling] base means he will struggle to take me to the ground.”
ONE Fight Night 1 tickets can be purchased here www.onefc.com/tickets/
In the meantime, download the ONE Super App to catch all the action at ONE 160: Ok vs. Lee II on Aug. 26 at Singapore Indoor Stadium.
This article was published in collaboration with ONE Championship.
