A potential competition has entered the UFC Heavyweight Division.
It is an intriguing time for the heavyweights, because Jones is no longer the champion after two years. With the official pension of Jones van MMA, interim title holder Tom Aspinall has promoted to the new undisputed champion of the world.
Aspinall has quite a few options for his title defense, such as Ciryl Gane, Alexander Volkov and Jilton Almeida.
In the midst of talking about who is the next one for the title and Jones that may return, the UFC has added a talented prospect to the weight class.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida to make UFC debut in Abu Dhabi
Grapping -star Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida is the latest signing of the UFC.
The former championship hunter has a 5-1 record as a professional and is a 17-way BJJ world champion. Almeida comes from a first round entry victory over former Greek-Roman wrestling champion Amir Aliakbari on one 169 last November.
At 35, the only MMA loss of Almeida is for the current one heavyweight champion Oumar 'back back' Kane.
Responded as the 'best heavyweight grappler in MMA', Almeida is ready to make his promotion debut against Martin Buday on July 26 in UFC Abu Dhabi, according to a report from Bert MMA.
Almeida's first UFC opponent Buday is 15-2 with a 6-1 record in the UFC. Buday comes back-to-back victories on Uran Satybaldiev and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski.
UFC Abu Dhabi is perhaps the best combat evening of the year
Marcus Buchecha joins a stacked line -up at UFC Abu Dhabi.
The main event has the former UFC champion Robert Whittaker against former two-division one champion Reinier de Ridder in five rounds or less.
The co-headliner is a likely title eliminator in the featherweight division while the unbeaten Movsar Evloev Blue-Chip Bellator star Aaron Pico welcomes the UFC.
Former champion Petr Yan also returns to Abu Dhabi when he fights the Ladder against the #13-ranged Marcus Mcghee.
That is not all, because Bryce Mitchell van Vederweight will make his Bantamweight debut against the aforementioned Nurmagomedov and the 15-1 Shara Magomedov has been set for his return to Marc-André Barriault.