UFC Charlotte: Spectrum Center; North Carolina
When meteors streak, there really isn’t anything that you can do to stop them. And right now in the UFC heavyweight division there’s a fierce one from Brazil. Jailton Almeida is red hot and is a throwback to some old-timers. On the back of Jailton Almeida‘s ground game he will easily enter the Top-10 come next week.
After Jairzinho Rozenstruik stopped his first takedown attempt before it began, he wasn’t able to stop the follow up one. And that spelled the beginning of the quick end. He quickly got into half-guard, eventually working his way to mount. That’s where Almeida’s prey has the choice. Take ground-and-pound to the face, or roll and get choked out.
The Surinamian fighter chose the latter and tapped to the rear-naked choke at the 3:43 mark of the opening round. It was not only the 14th win in a row for Almeida, but it was also 12th submission. And allof them come in the first-round. For Rozenstruik his slide is now 3-5 in his last eight fights.
Jailton Almeida Is Red Hot… But Is He A Real Threat To The Top
The former Dana Whites Contender Series fighter not only has an immaculate all around ground game, but his vision, and hand speed are more like a middleweight or welterweights. And that’s something that will give most heavyweights problems.
But before we all crown him the heir apparent to Jon Jones, we need to see his chin tested. And as he climbs up the rankings that will be tested over and over again. Although he sort of called out Tai Tuivasa, who no doubtedly would put some dynamite on that chin, the Australian is on a two-fight skid. Alexander Volkov sits one-spot below “Bam-Bam” in the rankings and would test him a lot more. The Russian would have a massive reach advantage, and can still test the Brazilian’s chin.
Almeida also has a 75% takedown defense of his own. Which makes him even more dangerous. Not that too many heavyweights rely on them. But what Almeida did accomplish also in his first UFC main-event was grab opportunity to prove he really belongs with the big boys. This was his toughest fight (at least pre-fight, on paper), which shows the turnover in the division is underway.
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