“Malhadinho” has a new home — and it’s in Russia.
Just two weeks after his surprising UFC release, former top-five Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Jailton Almeida has signed a four-fight deal with Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA), a Russia-based promotion. The 34-year-old Brazilian will remain at Heavyweight, despite previously hinting at a return to Light Heavyweight following his Octagon exit.
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Almeida’s departure from the UFC raised eyebrows. He compiled an 8-3 promotional record with seven finishes in eight victories — six of those coming in the first round. But back-to-back lackluster performances in his final two outings appeared to be the nail in the coffin, ultimately leading to his release.
According to MMA Fighting, Almeida drew interest from several organizations, including PFL, RIZIN, KSW and OKTAGON. The most lucrative offer reportedly came from Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), which is promoting the upcoming Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano event. MVP offered Almeida a one-fight deal to face former UFC Heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos on the undercard.
Instead, Almeida honored his word to ACA and finalized a multi-fight agreement with the Russian promotion.
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The move positions Almeida for a potential title clash sooner rather than later. The current ACA Heavyweight champion is Alikhan Vakhaev, who reclaimed the strap in Nov. 2025. A showdown between Vakhaev and Almeida would be a big fight in the promotion’s Heavyweight division.
Almeida leaves the UFC with wins over notable names like Derrick Lewis, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Alexandr Romanov, and Serghei Spivac, the latter being his most recent victory.
Now riding the first two-fight losing streak of his career, Almeida heads overseas looking for a fresh start.
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