Jailton Almeida
22-5-0
About
Brazilian grappling specialist nicknamed Malhadinho who smothered his way up the heavyweight ranks with relentless takedowns and submissions.
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Jailton Almeida made his name by doing something unusual at heavyweight: winning fights on the mat. After dropping down from 205, the Brazilian nicknamed Malhadinho used elite jiu-jitsu and a relentless top game to finish opponents who outweighed and out-muscled most of the roster, including a submission of knockout artist Derrick Lewis that vaulted him into the top ten.
The ceiling came against the division's powerhouses. Curtis Blaydes and Alexander Volkov both got the better of him, slowing a title push that once looked inevitable. The losses recalibrated where he sits, but not what makes him dangerous.
For fans who appreciate grappling, Almeida is a treat: a true submission threat in a weight class that usually lives and dies by the knockout.
Why fans love Almeida
Dominant, finish-oriented grappling and the novelty of a true submission threat at heavyweight.
