Marcus Almeida “Buchecha” (Checkmat)

Marcus Almeida “Buchecha” (or Bochecha) is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Rodrigo Cavaca who is one of the stars in the super-heavyweight division of the sport. Before completing his twentieth birthday he was already being pointed out as the “next big thing” in BJJ, a claim he has confirmed with successive podium achievements in the black belt divisions, including a double win (weight and open weight division) at the 2012 world championship.

Marcus Buchecha Almeida Jiu Jitsu

Full Name: Marcos Vinicius Oliveira de Almeida

Nickname: “Buchecha”, or “Bochecha”, means cheek (face). Marcus’s instructor, Cavaca, nicknamed him Buchecha because when he first started training he was a bit overweight and his cheeks were prominent.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Élcio Figueiredo > Rodrigo Cavaca > Marcus Almeida

Main Achievements

• 6x World Champion (2012 black weight & absolute, 2010 brown & absolute, 2009 purple weight & absolute);
• 6x World Nogi Champion (2011 black weight & absolute, 2010 black weight & absolute, 2009 brown & absolute);
• 4x World Cup Champion (2009 brown – weight and absolute, 2008 blue – weight and absolute)
• Pan American Champion (2012 weight and absolute*, 2010 brown);
• World Pro Cup Champion (2012)
• SP Cup Champion (2010 WLPJJ)
• 2x Miami Open Champion (2010 black, weight & absolute);
• 3x Brazilian National Champion (2010 brown, weight & absolute, 2008 purple);
• Brazilian Teams Champion (2008 purple)
• World Silver Medallist (2011 black)

* Closed the division with team mate. 

Weight Division: Super Pesado (up to 100kg-221lbs)

Favourite Position/Technique: Good Overall Game.

Team/Association: Checkmat BJJ

Marcus Bochecha Merchandise:

• MKM Koral Competition Kimono Navy Blue

Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida Biography

Marcus Almeida was born on the 8^th of January, 1990, in a town called Sao Vicente close to Santos in the state of Sao Paulo. As a child Marcus wanted to be a football (soccer) player, but he was not very good at it by his own admission. He then turned his sights on Surfing a sport he practised from a young age.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu only came into “Buchecha’s” life in his mid teens. He was 14 years old when his sister first started training BJJ. Marcus’s father, Mr Cleiton Almeida, was very protective of his daughter, and started accompanying her to class. With time Mr Cleiton started practising himself, and from there it wasn’t long until he was dragging his son Marcus with him. Luckily young Marcus loved Jiu Jitsu from the start and started training every chance he could.

Marcus’s physical abilities helped by the masterful eye of his instructor, BJJ World Champion Rodrigo Cavaca, soon turned Buchecha into one of the most feared athletes in the lower belt divisions, and after successive wins in the “Brasileiro”, Pan American, Sao Paulo Cup, Scandinavian Open and “Mundial”, Almeida received his black belt (while on the podium after his win at the World Championship in 2010), not long after his father was also awarded his black belt in BJJ. He moved to the United States with his master and his team mate Thiago “Baiano” Aragao in 2010 where he confirmed he belonged in the major league of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, winning the World Nogi Tournament later that year, closing the bracket with his “Avengers” team mate, Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu. After a short spell when he returned to his native Santos in 2011 with his master Cavaca, Buchecha came back to the United States where he started coaching and competing full time.

After this return to the United States (2012), Marcus Buchecha Almeida’s career as a black belt competitor took off to another level with a win in both his weight and the absolute category at the Pan American Championships as well as the World Jiu Jitsu Championships (both with IBJJF). He also fought in the legendary Roger Gracie at the Metamoris Pro Invitational, giving a great display of jiu jitsu, tying the match in submission only rules with the 10x world champion.

Marcus Buchecha’s Run at the BJJ Worlds

Marcus Buchecha vs Kron Gracie

Marcus Almeida vs Claudio Calasans

Marcus Buchecha vs Rodolfo Vieira

Marcus Almeida vs James Puopolo