Tag: Jailton Almeida

Jailton Almeida books quick turnaround fight vs. Alexander Volkov at UFC 302 on June 1

UFC heavyweight Jailton Almeida is wasting little time getting back in the octagon after having his winning streak snapped.

[autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] is wasting little time getting back in the octagon.

Just more than two weeks removed from defeat, Almeida has agreed to fight [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] in a big-time heavyweight showdown set for June 1 at UFC 302, which is expected to take place at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie on Monday following an initial report from Leo Guimaraes on X.

Almeida (20-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC), No. 10 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie heavyweight rankings, will compete a little less than three months after being knocked out by Curtis Blaydes on March 9 at UFC 299. The result ended a 15-fight winning streak for the Brazilian, including six in a row in the UFC.

For No. 6 Volkov (37-10 MMA, 11-4 UFC), this will be his first fight in 2024. The Russian standout is on a three-fight winning after most recently defeating Tai Tuivasa by second-round submission last September at UFC 293.

Below is the updated lineup for UFC 302:

  • Jailton Almeida vs. Alexander Volkov
  • Joselyne Edwards vs. Ailin Perez
  • Bassil Hafez vs. Mickey Gall
  • Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki
  • Gillian Robertson vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.

UFC 299 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Sean O’Malley’s $42,000 tops card

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 299 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $359,000.

MIAMI – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 299 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $359,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC 299 took place at Kaseya Center. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

The full UFC 299 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

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[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]: $42,000
def. [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Benoit Saint-Denis[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Jack Della Maddalena[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag]: $21,000;

[autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Katlyn Cerminara[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Mateusz Gamrot[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Kyler Phillips[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Philipe Lins[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Michel Pereira[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Michal Oleksiejczuk[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Robelis Despaigne[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Josh Parisian[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Asu Almabaev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Joanne Wood[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Maryna Moroz[/autotag]: $11,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $1,362,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $24,069,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

UFC 299 results: Curtis Blaydes smashes Jailton Almeida with hammerfists, calls for Tom Aspinall rematch

At UFC 299, Curtis Blaydes overcame Jailton Almeida’s grappling game for a TKO, and then called for a rematch vs. interim champ Tom Aspinall.

While [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] was smothered in the first round against Jailton Almeida, he found a path to a very satisfying result early in Round 2 at UFC 299.

In the final preliminary bout at Kaseya Center in Miami, Blaydes (18-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) solved the grappling attack of Almeida (20-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) by raining down hammerfists to score a TKO stoppage at 0:36 of Round 2.

When the fight began, Almeida didn’t waste much time attempting to get Blaydes to the canvas, and was successful with his first takedown. Blaydes quickly got back to his feet, just to get lifted and dumped again. Just when Blaydes would work back to his feet, Almeida continued to drag him back down repeatedly using a variety of techniques, effectively shutting down any offensive output from Blaydes.

The fight quickly changed course early in Round 2.

After an opening exchange of strikes, Almeida shot in for another takedown. Blaydes hit a solid sprawl, and instead of potentially spending another round grappling, he decided to unleash a furious series of hammerfists. Blaydes kept pounding until Almeida released his grip and dropped to the canvas, prompting referee Mike Beltran to stop the fight.

The result marks a return to the win column for Blaydes, following a stoppage loss to Sergei Pavlovich. During his post-fight interview, Blaydes called for a rematch with current interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. The pair first met in July 2022, but the fight ended in just 15 seconds after Apsinall suffered a freak knee injury.

On the other side, Almeida exits with his first loss under the UFC banner. The Brazilian grappler entered on the heels of a November main event unanimous decision win over former title challenger Derrick Lewis.

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Up-to-the-minute UFC 299 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

Curtis Blaydes def. Jailton Almeida at UFC 299: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Curtis Blaydes’ second-round TKO win over Jailton Almeida at UFC 299.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag]’ second-round TKO win over [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] at UFC 299 at Kaseya Center in Miami. (Fight and venue photos by Sam Navarro, USA Today Sports)

Jailton Almeida: Curtis Blaydes ‘in for a surprise’ if he expects predictable grappling at UFC 299

Jailton Almeida warns Curtis Blaydes that expecting a predictable gameplan at UFC 299 would not be wise.

MIAMI – [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] has been a dominant force thus far in his career run thanks to his smothering grappling game, but he may have a few tricks up his sleeve for Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299.

Blayes (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) believes he has Almeida (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) figured out. With more than double the experience of the Brazilian fighting the best in the world under the UFC’s banner, Blaydes has experienced several high-level fighting styles, and expects a predictable gameplan that lacks striking.

According to Almeida, if Blaydes thinks he will be easy to figure out in the feature prelim bout at Kaseya Center, then he will be disappointed.

“I didn’t come here to just be another fighter in the division, I’m here to stay,” Almeida told reporters through an interpreter at Wednesday’s media day. “If he didn’t see my striking, it’s because I haven’t had a need to use it yet. Just the grappling alone has been enough to get pretty much everybody out of my way.”

In his second UFC main event in November, Almeida defeated former title challenger Derrick Lewis by unanimous decision. It was a grappling-heavy gameplan, but one that was effective against the heavy-handed Lewis. But the No. 12-ranked heavyweight in the latest USA TODAY SPORTS/MMA Junkie rankings warns Blaydes to be ready for more than just wrestling and jiu-jitsu.

“I just fought five rounds against who might be the heaviest fighter in the division and someone who’s very accomplished, and I did fine,” Almeida said. “If the UFC wants to make it five rounds on Saturday, I’m more than happy to take it right now. If he’s thinking I’m that predictable, maybe he hasn’t watched the latest fights, then he might have a surprise there on Saturday.”

Blaydes recently stated he sees himself as a heavyweight version of Justin Gaethje for this fight, in that he will use his wrestling to keep the fight on the feet, and potentially end the fight by knockout.

“If he’s comparing himself to Gaethje and how he wants to use his wrestling, then I’ll be Khabib (Nurmagomedov) for him,” Almeida said. “That’s not a problem. I’ll get him down and I’ll wear him out. Eventually, I’m going to get him down and I’m going to get the submission.

“I’m going to finish him. If that’s his plan to keep it standing – all the respect to his skill and everything – he’s in for a surprise.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

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UFC 299 pre-event facts: Inside the numbers of stacked Miami lineup

The best facts and figures about UFC 299, which features an absolutely stacked lineup with history on the line for multiple fighters.

The final event in the 200s-era of numbered UFC cards goes down Saturday at UFC 299, and the event from Kaseya Center (pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+) is one of the most stacked in recent memory.

A lineup filled with a plethora of former title challengers, top-ranked contenders and more, is headline by a bantamweight title rematch. Reigning champ [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) will attempt to make his first defense while simultaneously trying to avenge his only career loss against [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] (21-8-1 MMA, 15-7 UFC), who won the first matchup by first-round TKO at UFC 252 in August 2020.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts for UFC 299.

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Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera

Video: Jailton Almeida loses to Down syndrome fighter in charity bout – but makes dream come true

UFC heavyweight Jailton Almeida is a big man who apparently has a big heart, as he helped make one fighter’s dream come true.

[autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] doesn’t lose often, but he did for a good cause this past weekend in Brazil.

On Saturday at Demo Fight 18 in Salvador, Bahia, Almeida (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) competed in a charity MMA bout against Alvaro Borges’ dream come true.

Borges, an athlete with Down syndrome, kept his distance and attempted spin kicks before he dragged the UFC heavyweight contender to the canvas. He mounted Almeida at one point, then worked for a triangle-armbar from guard – and found the tap.

After the win, Borges was awarded a championship belt and celebrated with Almeida and others inside the cage during the official announcement.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2oJG1YtGTM/?img_index=2

The win moved Borges to 2-0 in charity exhibition bouts. He previously defeated Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach Pablo Passos, also by armbar, at Demo Fight 17 in July.

Almeida, 32, returns to professional competition March 9 at UFC 299 against Curtis Blaydes (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC). The bout could have title implications. Almeida holds UFC wins over Derrick Lewis and Jairzinho Rozenstruik among others.

Tom Aspinall down to defend interim UFC title against Curtis Blaydes vs. Jailton Almeida winner

Tom Aspinall is warm the idea of defending his interim UFC heavyweight title in 2024, and he has a potential opponent in mind.

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] is warm the idea of defending his interim UFC heavyweight title in 2024, and he has a potential opponent in mind.

Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is less than two months removed from winning interim gold with a 69-second knockout of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in New York. Despite the achievement, though, Aspinall won’t be next to fight for the undisputed belt.

That distinction will go to Stipe Miocic, who is expected to challenge current titleholder Jon Jones once “Bones” returns from injury. Moreover, it’s unknown if one or both of Jones and Miocic will retire after the fight, leaving some uncertainty around Aspinall’s next move.

Aspinall has expressed frustration as he sits on the sidelines waiting for the situation to play out, but he’s made it clear a long break from competition is not of interest. He wants to fight sooner than later, and he sees the winner of the matchup between [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) and [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] (19-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) at UFC 299 on March 9 in Miami as a fitting foe (via X):

Aspinall, No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie heavyweight rankings, has a history with No. 7-ranked Blaydes. The pair fought at UFC Fight Night 208 in July 2022, with the main event bout ending in just 15 seconds after Aspinall went down with a knee injury that ultimately required surgery and forced him out of competition for a year.

A rematch would certainly be logical if Blaydes wins, but he’ll have to first get past No. 12-ranked Almeida, who was MMA Junkie’s 2023 Breakout Fighter of the Year after picking up victories over Derrick Lewis, Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Shamil Abdurakhimov.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

MMA Junkie’s 2023 Breakout Fighter of the Year: Jailton Almeida

Jailton Almeida became a serious player at heavyweight in 2023.

[autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] became a serious player at heavyweight in 2023.

The Dana White’s Contender Series graduate has torn through competition and finds himself on the cusp of title contention. If it wasn’t for the logjam at heavyweight, Almeida (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) could possibly have already been there.

Activity was perhaps Almeida’s most impressive feat. The 32-year-old continued his busy schedule since joining the UFC roster in late 2021. Like 2022, Almeida logged in three fights, but against much stiffer competition.

He drew his most experienced opponent to date in Shamil Abdurakhimov to kick off 2023 and sliced through the Dagestani fighter for a second-round TKO to earn a bonus at UFC 283 in January. Almeida then landed his first headliner when he faced former kickboxer Jairzinho Rozenstruik in May. His ground game proved to be too much when he needed less than a round to submit Rozenstruik to earn his third straight bonus.

To cap off the year, Almeida headlined another show, this time at home against former title challenger Derrick Lewis. It was not his most crowd-pleasing performance, but Almeida dominated the knockout artist on the ground en route to a lopsided decision win in November in Sao Paulo.

Almeida already has his next fight booked. He returns at UFC 299 on March 9 against Curtis Blaydes (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) – the original opponent for his most recent outing at UFC Fight Night 231 before Blaydes withdrew and was replaced by Lewis.

Almeida’s dominance on the ground makes him a serious threat at heavyweight. With 12 submissions to his name, Almeida can stake his claim for a shot at gold if he can get past a fellow elite grappler in Blaydes. If he keeps up his activity, Almeida very well could be in the title picture in 2024.

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UFC in 2023: A ridiculously robust look at the stats, streaks, skids and record-setters

Check out a full recap of 2023’s most significant footnotes and milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.

Now that the year has come to a close, and with a major assist from UFC research analyst and live statistics producers Michael Carroll, here are some of 2023’s most significant milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.