The UFC has officially parted ways with Jailton Almeida, bringing a stunning end to the heavyweight contender’s run inside the Octagon.
In a move first reported by Laerte Viana, the promotion informed Almeida of his release following consecutive losses, most recently a unanimous decision defeat to Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Vegas 113. The result marked Almeida’s second straight loss and capped a performance many fans criticized as underwhelming.
Almeida exits the UFC with a 22-5 professional record and an 8-3 run inside the promotion. Despite that strong résumé, the organization decided to move on. That decision raised eyebrows, especially considering Almeida held a top-10 spot in a heavyweight division often criticized for lacking depth.
This release also makes Almeida the fourth Top 15-ranked heavyweight cut in the past year, joining Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Martin Buday, and Alexandr Romanov.
Almeida’s most recent setback followed a split-decision loss to Alexander Volkov last October. Before that skid, he had positioned himself as a legitimate title threat. He even announced plans to return to light heavyweight in an attempt to reset his career, but the UFC ultimately made the decision for him.
When Almeida joined the UFC in 2021 after earning a submission win over Nasrudin Nasrudinov, he wasted no time making a statement. He stormed through the division with five consecutive finishes, competing at both light heavyweight and heavyweight. His dominant grappling and relentless top control overwhelmed opponents and quickly turned him into a breakout force.
Almeida secured notable victories over Derrick Lewis, Rozenstruik, Romanov, and Serghei Spivac. In eight UFC wins, he recorded seven finishes — six of them in the first round. That level of dominance established Almeida as one of the most dangerous grapplers in the division.
Despite finishing most of his opponents, Almeida faced backlash for what some labeled a “boring” grappling-heavy style. He only went to the judges’ scorecards three times during his UFC tenure, but all three bouts drew widespread criticism for their lack of action.
A loss to Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299 first stalled Almeida’s momentum. Although he rebounded with two finishes after that defeat, his recent performances failed to reignite the excitement that once surrounded his rise. The decision loss to Kuniev ultimately became the tipping point.
At 34 years old, Almeida still has plenty left in the tank. His skill set remains elite, and heavyweights with his finishing ability rarely stay unsigned for long. While his UFC chapter has closed, other major promotions will likely show immediate interest.
Almeida’s exit marks another surprising shake-up in the heavyweight division, and it proves once again that in today’s UFC, even ranked contenders are never guaranteed security.
