Grappling mega stars Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida and Gordon Ryan could make their MMA debuts in 2021

• Brazilian jiu jitsu icon Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida could finally make his MMA debut in May or June.
• That's according to One Championship founder and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
• Sityodtong also said fans may see another grappling mega star, Gordon Ryan, compete in MMA in 2021.

Two of the top grapplers in combat sports, both of whom have made highly-anticipated moves into mixed martial arts, could make their One Championship debuts this year.

The Singapore-based MMA firm, which is led by founder and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, has long been renowned for showcasing extraordinary Muay Thai and stand-up matches.

But by adding Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida and Gordon Ryan to its roster, the company can rightfully claim it is also home to two of the most decorated jiu jitsu players on the planet.

"Ultimately, at One Championship, I just want to sign the best martial artists in the world," Sityodtong told Insider when asked about these acquisitions.

"I don't care what discipline. I just want the best - that's the most important thing. 'Buchecha' is the greatest Brazilian jiu jitsu stylist in history, and Gordon Ryan is the best no gi submission grappler in history."

Fans may soon see 'Buchecha' and Ryan in a One Championship arena, after striking maestro Rodtang added another win to his ledger against Daniel Williams on April 7.

Muay Thai features at One's next event. The show took place earlier in the month, but will be broadcast on TNT on Wednesday, April 21. Results have been kept secret for the benefit of US cable TV.

"You have John Wayne Parr, who is one of the great strikers, fighting Nieky Holzken [on Wednesday] who is one of the great strikers in the world," Sityodtong said.

"Rodtang currently is one of the best in the world [at striking], and the list goes on and on. I just want to showcase the best at One Championship - the home of martial arts in all the sports."

Sityodtong hopes to see 'Buchecha' make his debut soon

Almeida has been winning gold medals in the most prestigious jiu jitsu tournaments almost every year since 2011.

He has been training mixed martial arts at Javier Mendez's famed American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, and generated great interest when it was confirmed he signed with One.

Injuries, both to himself and his opponents, have scuppered continued efforts to complete his MMA debut. He was first supposed to compete in a One event last year, then in January 2021, then in April this year. All those bouts have been axed.

Sityodtong told Insider it has been a frustrating period for the athlete.

"'Buchecha' has had a lot of bad luck," Sityodtong told us. "It's one thing after another. Opponents are injured, or pull out for one reason or another, and it's just a frustrating time for him.

"I told Buchecha, I talked to him last week over WhatsApp: 'I'll get you a fight - don't worry.'"

Insider asked whether we could see Almeida make his long-awaited One debut in May or June. "I hope so," he told us. "That's our plan."

It also leads into Ryan, and when the American - considered one of the GOATS of his discipline - could feature in MMA after impressing so much, in such a short space of time, at submission grappling.

Ryan, 25, received his black belt in 2016 and has been on a near-unstoppable run ever since, prompting the MMA commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan - himself a black belt - to herald his countryman as "the pound-for-pound greatest of all time."

"Gordon Ryan and I are friends," Sityodtong said, overjoyed at being the one to sign him.

"He came to Singapore. His coach John Danayer and I, are friends. And it's because Renzo Gracie is my master in jiu jitsu. John and I love Renzo, Renzo put us together, and John and I got along.

"So Gordon came along with John to do a seminar in Singapore, and I met with them. We got along. And Gordon said when he's ready, he'll sign with us. And he did.

"[Almeida and Ryan] are two of the greatest grapplers on the planet and it's not an accident as part of our strategy," said Sityodtong.

Ryan's path to an MMA debut is not as clear as Almeida's.

"It remains to be seen [when he'll make his debut in MMA]," Sityodtong said. "He wants to do submission grappling while he's training up for MMA."

Sityodtong told us that it's too early to determine but "it's possible [he could fight] this year."

One is midway through one of the most pivotal months in company history. It is showcasing some of its best fighters during an ongoing four-event run on TNT.

Adriano Moraes knocked Demetrious Johnson with a knee as wild violence marked One Championship's breakout US cable show on April 7.

Christian Lee, 22, scored a brutal 73-second knockout that cemented his spot as an MMA superstar in an event broadcast the following week.

One returns with its third event of the month Wednesday with a five-bout card that features John Lineker against Troy Worthen in the main event.

Holzken and Wayne Parr fight a Muay Thai match in the final preliminary bout.