Jailton Almeida is eager to make his mark in the UFC and is willing to drop back down to light heavyweight to do so.
After a dominant first-round victory over Serghei Spivac in January, Almeida, also known as “Malhadinho”, has set his sights on top contenders like Ciryl Gane and Alexander Volkov.
When those matchups didn’t materialize, Almeida turned his attention to interim champion Tom Aspinall, who is growing impatient as Jon Jones’ future remains uncertain.
Despite feeling overlooked by other top-ranked fighters, Almeida remains dedicated to his training in Brazil and is ready to seize any opportunity that comes his way.
With Volkov and Gane unavailable, Almeida believes he should be next in line for a shot at Aspinall.
Almeida argues that he is the most deserving contender after his recent victory and criticizes the decision to potentially have Gane face Aspinall instead.
Frustrated by the logjam in the heavyweight division, Almeida has turned his attention to light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev and is eager to challenge him for the title.
Despite currently weighing 240 pounds, Almeida is willing to make the necessary weight cut to compete at light heavyweight and is confident in his ability to defeat Ankalaev.
Almeida believes that Ankalaev underestimates him and is prepared to showcase his finishing skills in the octagon.
With his focus now on the light heavyweight division, Almeida is determined to secure a fight with Ankalaev and prove himself as a force to be reckoned with.
“The mistake he makes against me, if he goes down on his back, he’s not getting back up,” Almeida confidently states about his potential matchup with Ankalaev.