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Saturday night in Brazil, Jailton Almeida demonstrated his mastery of both, as he took on the formidable Derrick Lewis in a heavyweight bout that had fans on the edge of their seats.
Almeida undeterred by the reputation of his opponent, former heavyweight title challenger Lewis, seized control and emerged victorious with a unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-45) in the main event of UFC Fight Night 231 at Ginasio Do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo.
According to UFC Stats, Almeida spent a staggering 21 minutes and 10 seconds controlling Lewis during the fight, leaving Lewis with just 57 seconds of control in return.
The tone for the entire fight was set within the first minute, as Almeida swiftly took Lewis down with a double-leg takedown and lifted "The Black Beast" off his feet. Almeida maintained a dominant position, working on submissions, notably an arm-triangle choke. However, Lewis displayed a remarkable ability to evade danger and prevent any substantial damage.
Throughout the grueling 25-minute battle, Almeida remained in control, and Lewis, despite brief moments of resistance, often found himself back where he started. Lewis attempted to land powerful strikes at the start of each round, with his corner calling for the uppercut, but he struggled to make a significant impact. The most explosive moments of the fight came in the final moments of the third round when Almeida appeared to stun Lewis.
As the fight went on, Lewis improved his takedown defense, but it was not enough to shift the momentum. Almeida secured a well-deserved unanimous decision and immediately set his sights on a match against former interim champion Ciryl Gane.
With this impressive victory, Almeida maintains his perfect UFC record, moving to 4-0 in the promotion's heavyweight division. Meanwhile, Lewis, who signed a lucrative eight-fight promotional deal in September, now stands at 1-4 in his last five bouts.