Jailton Almeida’s stint in the UFC has officially come to a sudden close.
According to a report from MMA journalist Laerte Viana on Wednesday, Almeida has been axed from the UFC roster despite holding the No. 8 spot in the heavyweight rankings.
“Malhadinho’s” exit from the promotion follows a unanimous decision defeat to short-notice replacement Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Vegas 113 last Saturday, marking his second consecutive setback. Before that, the 34-year-old Brazilian dropped a split decision to Alexander Volkov at UFC 321 in October, a performance that drew widespread criticism for its lack of output.
Despite emerging as one of the most promising heavyweight prospects from Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2021 and delivering five consecutive finishes inside the Octagon, Almeida began drawing criticism for his grappling-centric style, with many viewing his recent performances as dull and overly conservative.
Jailton Almeida now becomes part of a wider roster shakeup in the UFC heavyweight division, joining names such as Martin Buday, Alexandr Romanov, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, all of whom were ranked fighters who were released by the promotion last year.
MMA Community Reacts To UFC Releasing Jailton Almeida
Jailton Almeida’s release from the UFC heavyweight roster triggered a wave of mixed reactions across social media. While many fans and fighters expressed shock at the promotion’s decision, others defended the move, pointing to “Malhadinho’s” recent underwhelming performances as justification.
During his UFC tenure, Almeida compiled an 8-3 record, highlighted by stoppage victories over Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Serghei Spivac, and Parker Porter. “Malhadinho” now holds a professional record of 22-5, featuring eight knockouts and 13 submission wins.
