Jailton Malhadinho after victory in the UFC. (Photo: Instagram/UFC)
Last Saturday (4), the UFC returned to São Paulo after a four-year absence. The event, which featured 11 Brazilians in the octagon, had as its main fight the duel between Jailton Malhadinho x Derrick Lewis. The Bahian, who had won five consecutive victories in the organization, was facing his biggest challenge in his career so far. And he didn't disappoint.
The 32-year-old fighter showed all his superiority in grappling and dominated Lewis for five rounds, winning by unanimous decision from the judges. It was Malhadinho's 20th consecutive victory in MMA, and he remains undefeated in Ultimate. With the triumph, he moved even closer to a chance to challenge for the heavyweight belt, which currently belongs to Jon Jones.
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But who is Malhadinho and why could he be the new face of the UFC in Brazil? To answer this question, you need to know a little about his career. The fighter trains at the Galpão da Luta team, under the command of Leonardo Pateira. There, he improved his striking and wrestling, becoming a more complete and versatile fighter.
In 2022, Jailton signed with the UFC and made his debut in the organization, knocking out his compatriot Danilo Marques in the second round. After that, he submitted five more opponents: parker porter, Anton Turkalj, Shamil Abdurakhimov, Jairzinho Rozenstruik and finally, Derrick Lewis.
Jailton Almeida's 21:10 of control time vs. Derrick Lewis is a new single-fight UFC heavyweight record. pic.twitter.com/Dzx8XQu2X1
- UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2023
The qualities of Jailton Malhadinho
What draws attention to Malhadinho is his ability to take the fight to the ground and submit his opponents with ease. He has high-level jiu-jitsu, with a very active guard and very efficient footwork. Furthermore, the Bahian also has offensive wrestling, with explosive takedowns and quick transitions. He is an expert in the gentle art, something you don't see much in the heavyweight division, where most fighters prefer to exchange punches while standing.
Jailton is a fighter who bothers his opponents with his pressure and control on the ground. He doesn't give his opponents room to breathe and suffocates them with strikes and submission attempts. The fighter also has good takedown defense and good standing movement, which makes his rivals' strategy difficult. He imposes his game and doesn't adapt to other people's games.
Strategy against Derrick Lewis
This was evident in the fight against Lewis, who is known for being one of the most feared knockout artists in the category. Malhadinho was not intimidated by the power of the North American's punches and took him to the ground right at the beginning of the fight.
There, the Bahian showed all his technical and tactical superiority, keeping Blackbeast under his control for 25 minutes. The Brazilian was unable to finish the American, who resisted bravely, but won handily on points.
Good side and bad side
Malhadinho's victory over Lewis was historic and impressive, but it also generated some criticism. Some fans and analysts thought the fight was monotonous and that the Bahian could have been more aggressive and sought more of a knockout. Others thought he was intelligent and cautious, and that he did not need to take risks against a dangerous opponent like Lewis.
The fighter himself responded to the boos he received from the fans at the Ibirapuera Gymnasium, saying that he fights for himself and not to please others.
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1721015819344478562
New face of UFC in Brazil?
This stance of Jailton Almeida It can generate admiration or rejection, depending on one's point of view. But one thing is certain: he is already disturbing and attracting attention in the MMA world. And he could be one fight away from a title shot.
Malhadinho has the potential to be the new face of the UFC in Brazil, a country that has embraced the causes of Alex Poatán e Charles of the Bronx, but lost their belts. The Bahian has the talent, charisma and personality to represent the country on the international stage. He has a fighting style that may divide opinions, but that certainly doesn't go unnoticed.
Check out what the Brazilian said @Malhadinho_UFC behind the scenes of #UFCSP after the unanimous decision victory over Derrick Lewis! pic.twitter.com/SFY2qBUyj5
- UFC Brazil (@UFCBrasil) November 5, 2023
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