Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Marcus Almeida has been focusing on mixed martial arts for less than a year but has already established himself as a dominant force in One Championship's heavyweight division.
The 31-year-old star, also known as "Buchecha," has accumulated a perfect 3-0 record in the all-encompassing sport, with three first-round victories.
His upcoming fight against Belarus' Kirill Grishenko at One Fight Night 1: Moraes v Johnson II on Aug 27 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium will be the greatest challenge of his MMA journey so far.
Grishenko faced off with Anatoly Malykhin for the One interim heavyweight world title earlier this year, losing out to the Russian after suffering a knockout in the second round.
Both hulking heavyweights have praise for "Buchecha" for his near flawless performances inside the circle but Grishenko has made it clear that he will be looking to slow the Brazilian's hype train when they meet.
Nonetheless, Almeida is feeling unshakingly positive about the winning streak he is enjoying, and is delighted to hear positive words from his divisional peers.
"I'm so happy, so stoked that I got one more win, 3-0 right now. I want to keep myself on track, and I want to keep the momentum going," he said.
"For me to hear about these guys telling such good things about me, about my career, is a big honour because both of them are really big names in the sport. And it's good to know that they're watching the beginning of my career. So, of course, that means a lot, and I feel honoured."
Almeida is most famous for his Brazilian jiu-jitsu career, with 17 world championships to his name.
His 138-14-1 record is almost as incredible as his numerous other accomplishments.
Now focused on mixed martial arts, he is keen to learn and develop his skills.
Although his prowess in the circle has led to talks about a world title shot in the future, "Buchecha" wants to move slowly while his love for the sport continues to grow.