ONE Fight Night 1: Kirill Grishenko Not Afraid Of Undefeated Buchecha

Former ONE World Champion challenger Kirill Grishenko can’t wait to share the Circle with 17-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida.

The two heavyweights will face each other on the main card of ONE Fight Night 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II on 27 August at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

While some competitors withdrew from their impending showdown with “Buchecha,” Grishenko isn’t showing signs of nerves despite Almeida’s 3-0 record in The Home of Martial Arts. More than anything, he relishes the opportunity of facing the BJJ legend.

“I don’t know if his [previous] opponents got injured. MMA is a tough sport; 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.

The Belarusian respects Almeida’s grappling skills, which have led to three first-round finishes. However, his Greco-Roman wrestling cannot be underestimated. Therefore, he will have a say if ever “Buchecha” brings the fight to the ground. Moreover, Grishenko pointed out a glaring weakness in Almeida’s game that he could capitalize on.

“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,” Grishenko said.

“I know what I’m capable of. He’s got the advantage on the ground, but not by a landslide. I can beat him in striking, and my [wrestling] base means he will struggle to take me to the ground.”

A win for Grishenko puts him back on the winning track after losing to Anatoly Malykhin for the ONE Interim Heavyweight World Championship. But he has learned from that experience and vowed not to repeat the same mistakes against “Buchecha.”

“Anatoly taught me not to lean into the strong [punches] – something my coach has always told me about. It didn’t really sink in until the last fight, but Anatoly schooled me properly,” Grishenko said.

“Lessons were learned, homework was done, and now I’m working on correcting my mistakes, improving my weaknesses, and I hope to show my new skills in the next fight.”

Aside from the Almeida versus Grishenko fight, the main event of ONE Fight Night 1 will feature Adriano Moraes’ defense of the ONE Flyweight World Championship in a rematch with MMA legend Demetrious Johnson. Nong-O Gaiyanghadao will also put the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship on the line against British striker Liam Harrison.

ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon will also compete in the semifinals of the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix against Savvas Michael. And former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Jonathan Haggerty will face Amir Naseri on the main card.

Watch the lead card of ONE Fight Night 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II on Disney+ Hotstar at 5:30 a.m. India Standard Time (IST) on Saturday, August 27. Meanwhile, the main card will follow on Disney+ Hotstar at 7:30 a.m. IST. You can also purchase tickets to watch the fights live through this link.

LEAVE A COMMENT

Please login to leave a comment

0 Comments