‘I’m Not Afraid Of Him’ – Kirill Grishenko Aims To Stop Buchecha’s MMA Rise
Not many fighters are lining up to face Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida these days, but Kirill Grishenko is eager to throw down with the grappling icon.
On August 26, Grishenko will face the 17-BJJ World Champion in a heavyweight MMA clash at ONE on Prime Video 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II live in North American primetime.
And while some fighters have pulled out of their scheduled matchups with “Buchecha” – who is 3-0 in his dominant MMA career so far – the Belarusian is not fazed.
Instead, he’s relishing the chance to battle one of the most talked-about athletes in combat sports on a historic card at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Grishenko told ONE Championship:
“I don’t know if his [previous] opponents really got injured. 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’s desire to face off against “Buchecha” doesn’t stem from a lack of respect.
He knows the Brazilian possesses an elite grappling game, which has led to first-round finishes in all three of his MMA bouts so far.
However, the Belarusian also brings plenty of talent into every fight. He’s a decorated Greco-Roman wrestler who’s already challenged for the ONE Interim Heavyweight World Title, and he expects to cause problems for his undefeated opponent.
Grishenko said:
“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 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.”
Kirill Grishenko Promises To Bounce Back From World Title Loss
Kirill Grishenko won’t be overawed by any opponent – especially after competing against the man he considers the top dog in his division.
The Belarusian fought Anatoly Malykhin for the ONE Interim Heavyweight World Title at ONE: BAD BLOOD in February, coming up short due to a second-round stoppage. But after dusting himself off, he’s vowing to come back stronger.
Above all, Grishenko admits that certain weaknesses in his game were exposed, and he’s addressed them ahead of his matchup with Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida at ONE on Prime Video 1.
The 31-year-old added:
“The fight gave me more confidence, despite the loss. Of all [Malykhin’s] opponents, I stood the longest against him. I realized that I have to add to my striking repertoire and work on my technique.
“Anatoly taught me not to lean into the strong [punches] – something my coach has always told me about. Until the last fight it didn’t really sink in, but Anatoly schooled me properly.
“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.”
