Jailton Almeida’s got mixed feelings, you know? He’s back on the card against Curtis Blaydes, but, oh boy, he misses that five-round thrill.
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So, here’s the scoop. Almeida and Blaydes were all set for a showdown in Sao Paulo last November. But then, “Razor” Blaydes had to bail because of an injury. Enter Derrick Lewis, stepping in last minute, only to lose big time to Almeida.
Fast forward, and it’s UFC 299 time. They’re locking horns at the Kaseya Center in Miami this Saturday. But, twist in the tale, it’s a three-rounder, not five. Almeida thinks this switcheroo plays right into Blaydes’ hands.
Almeida’s been chatting with BJPenn.com, saying, “Nothing changes at all, he is the same fighter.” He’s confident, ready to rumble, but can’t help feeling the shorter fight might give Blaydes an edge. Yet, Almeida’s not sweating it. He’s prepped to win, no matter the rounds.
He’s all, “Everyone knows my game,” but teases that he’s got more tricks up his sleeve than anyone guesses. It’s all about that Bahia style – a punch to the noggin and a maul on the ground.
Almeida’s on fire, folks. Sixteen wins back-to-back, with eight of those in the UFC. The only time he didn’t finish a fight was against Lewis last time. Now, he’s eyeing a bigger prize. Beat Blaydes, and he’s gunning for an interim title shot against Tom Aspinall.
Aspinall’s keen, too. He’s already thrown his hat in the ring for a fight with the UFC 299 heavyweight victor. Almeida’s dreaming big – UFC 301 in Brazil or maybe a Manchester bout in July. He’s game for anything.
“I hope I can take a title shot against Tom Aspinall after this fight,” Almeida muses. With a record like his, he’s feeling pretty deserving of that title shot. Brazil, Manchester, wherever – he’s ready to bring the heavyweight title home. After all, what’s better than that?