Tag Archives: UFC Sao Paulo

Jailton Almeida to Fight Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299 in Early 2024

Posted on by
Reply

Jailton Almeida is readying for a return to The Octagon in early 2024…

The 32-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist will face Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299, according to ESPN, in what many are calling a big heavyweight battle.

Jailton AlmeidaThe fight is expected to take place in the first quarter of next year.

Sources say the bout has been signed, though the UFC has yet to make it official. UFC 299 does not have a set official date or location yet, but it will take place in March.

ESPN has Blaydes ranked No. 5 and Almeida ranked No. 8 in the world at heavyweight. The two were supposed to fight on November 4 in the main event of UFC Sao Paulo, but Blaydes withdrew for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Derrick Lewis.

Blaydes (17-4, 1 NC) is coming off a knockout loss to Sergei Pavlovich in April. The Chicago-area native was on a three-fight winning streak prior to that bout. Blaydes, 32, has lost only to power punchers Pavlovich, Francis Ngannou and Lewis in his seven-year UFC career.

Almeida (20-2) has won 15 in a row, including his first six in the UFC. The Brazil native is coming off a unanimous decision win over Lewis last month. He had never gone to a decision before in his 11-year career.

UFC 299 will be headlined by a bantamweight championship fight between champion Sean O’Malley and challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera.

Also on the card, former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos will take on Mateusz Gamrot, the promotion announced Tuesday.

MMA Fighting first reported the news.

Jailton Almeida Sets Control Time Record with UFC Heavyweight Win vs. Derrick Lewis

Posted on by
Reply

Jailton Almeida has set a control time record en route to a big win.

The 32-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist defeated Derrick Lewis via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-45) in the main event of UFC Sao Paulo on Saturday night.

Jailton AlmeidaAlmeida gave up about 30 pounds against Lewis, who cuts weight to make the 265-pound heavyweight limit, and the surging Almeida was still able to manhandle the knockout artist.

It was a one-sided fight, somewhat lackluster fight. Almeida took Lewis down time after time and got into many dominant positions over 25 minutes, but he could not get the finish. Almeida didn’t do a ton of damage either.

Almeida’s control time of 21 minutes, 10 seconds set a UFC heavyweight record and was fourth most overall, according to UFC Stats. It was the most control time in a UFC fight in 16 years, since Sean Sherk against Hermes Franca in 2007. Sherk’s 22:18 control time in that fight is the UFC record.

Almeida had never gone to decision in a win before in his 11-year pro career. The fight going the distance was +1300, according to ESPN BET.

“We were able to do that and keep him down and avoid his right hand,” Almeida said through an interpreter in his post-fight interview. “I was touched, and I didn’t really feel it.”

Lewis represented the toughest test to date for Almeida, who more than proved himself as a bona fide UFC heavyweight contender. Coming in, ESPN had Almeida ranked No. 10 in the world at heavyweight.

Coming in at 265 pounds at Friday’s weigh-in, Lewis likely gained weight before entering the Octagon on Saturday. Almeida, who weighed 236 on Friday, overpowered the bigger man, but there was also plenty of technique in his wrestling and grappling — just not enough to earn a submission or TKO.

Afterward, Almeida called out former UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane and said he would do the bout in Gane’s home country of France.

Almeida (20-2) has won 15 straight fights, including his first six in UFC. The Brazilian-born fighter had finished 14 opponents in a row prior to Saturday night. Almeida, 32, had won three straight fight-night bonuses coming in.

Lewis (27-12, 1 NC) has lost five of his past seven fights. The Houston resident was coming off a 33-second TKO over Marcos Rogerio de Lima at UFC 291 in July. Lewis, 38, owns the record for most knockouts in UFC history (14).