Roger Gracie vs. ‘Buchecha’: The rematch the BJJ world has waited for

Two ten-time world champions face off on Sunday, July 23rd.

There are very few grappling matches that are bigger than the super fight that set for Sunday, July 23rd. Roger Gracie and Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida are set to meet in the rematch that is five years in the making. Gracie Pro announced this bout back in May and now the industry is set to stop for the fight that everyone wants to see.

Almeida and Gracie are two of the biggest and most successful stars in the history of competitive grappling. Gracie was long known as being the only athlete to win ten world titles until Worlds 2017, where “Buchecha” successfully tied that record. They’ve both experienced victories across many of the major promotions and tournaments in the sport, including IBJJF and ADCC events. However, they only crossed paths on the mats once in a fight that left fans and fellow competitors pining for a rematch.

Back in 2012, Gracie and “Buchecha” met in a twenty-minute, submission-only ruleset under the Metamoris banner. The match ended in a draw as neither man was able to find the path to securing the tap out. “Buchecha” had some of the more thrilling moments of the match, including locking up an arm bar that caught many people by surprise. When the referee lifted both men’s hands to signify the draw, it was clear that they would rematch at some point to determine a winner. This weekend’s bout sets the stage for that opportunity as it is under IBJJF rules with both points and submissions as paths for victory.

Pros and fans from across the sport fall on both sides of the debate as to who will win the battle. Since that 2012 matchup, Gracie transitioned from competitive Jiu Jitsu to mixed martial arts where he’s competed for promotions such as Strikeforce and the UFC. Almeida has remained very active on the grappling circuit; facing and defeating the likes of Leandro Lo, Rafael Lovato, Felipe Pena, Keenan Cornelius and others.

This is an intriguing stylistic matchup in nearly every area of competition. “Buchecha” is known for being aggressive with takedowns and attacking submissions which play into the IBJJF ruleset. Yet, Gracie has the size, power and technical prowess which may give him the ability to deal with those aspects of the match. In some ways, this is a matchup that pits the “classic” style of Jiu Jitsu from Roger Gracie against the relentless aggression that “Buchecha” throws at his opponents.

Gracie versus “Buchecha” II will be live on FloGrappling this Sunday. The Gracie Pro event will also feature BJJ tournaments, MMA training and various seminars.