Three-time world champion in jiu-jitsu, black belt Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida, spent some time at American Kickboxing Academy alongside Cain Velasquez, Daniel Cormier and the man who recently submitted Lyoto Machida, Luke Rockhold.
Almeida was already aware of Rockhold’s prowess on the ground – so much that he believes the American could do just as well at jiu-jitsu competitions as he does at MMA.
“I trained with Luke and he is a high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelt, not only in MMA”, he told Tatame. “If he fought in jiu-jitsu competitions, he would do really well, because he has a very straight forward game and he’s a finisher. He was a great answer for all those guys who like to criticize blackbelts in MMA. I trained with him and know how tough he is, so that submission didn’t come as a surprise. Congratulations to Luke, who always shows beautiful jiu-jitsu inside the Octagon”.
Rockhold submitted Machida in the second round of their bout at UFC on Fox 15, in Newark, New Jersey.
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