Gilbert Durinho bets on Marcus Buchecha's devastating debut at UFC Abu Dhabi: 'It's going to fly'

Marcus Buchecha makes his UFC Abu Dhabi debut . (Photo: ONE Championship Press Release)

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Former welterweight title challenger (up to 77kg) and a reference in the transition from jiu-jitsu to MMA, Gilbert Durinho has no doubts about Marcus Buchecha 's future in the UFC. In an interview with UFC.com, the Brazilian heaped praise on his compatriot, who makes his octagon debut this Saturday (26), in Abu Dhabi, against Slovakian Martin Buday.

"My impression is that Buchecha is going to make a lot of noise in the UFC. He's going to debut against a good opponent, Martin Buday , who has a 6-1 record in the UFC. I think Buchecha will strike standing up, take down, and get a submission or a knockout. You can expect him to soar in the heavyweight division," said Durinho.

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Before MMA, Buchecha built one of the greatest legacies in the history of competitive Jiu-Jitsu. With 13 IBJJF world titles in both weight and absolute categories—a historic record that surpasses legends like Roger Gracie —the Brazilian dominated the world's premier grappling competitions.

Among his most notable achievements are six victories in the absolute and seven in the ultra heavyweight division between 2010 and 2019. Marcus is also a two-time absolute champion of the ADCC (2013 and 2017), the biggest grappling event in the world, and No-Gi world champion in 2010 and 2011, in the weight and absolute categories;

In the 'gentle art', the fighter also had multiple victories in the UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro between 2012 and 2015 and more than 138 official victories with around 72 submissions.

Marcus Buchecha's quick and effective transition to MMA

Marcus Buchecha transitioned to MMA in 2021 and quickly made a name for himself in the Asian scene, in ONE Championship. In six professional fights, he accumulated five wins – all in the first round, four by submission and one by technical knockout, in addition to a unanimous decision loss to Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane.

After defeating Amir Aliakbari in November 2024, Buchecha ended his cycle in ONE and became a free agent in July 2025, when he was officially announced by Dana White's organization. His debut takes place this Saturday at UFC Abu Dhabi against Martin Buday , ranked 14th in the heavyweight division (up to 120,2kg).

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