Jailton Almeida Bio
Jailton Jesus Almeida Júnior, known widely by the nickname “Malhadinho,” is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. Born on 28 June 1991 in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, he has competed across several weight classes and currently fights in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of 25 November 2025, he holds the number six spot in the official UFC heavyweight rankings, establishing himself as one of the top grapplers in the division.
Early Life and Background
Jailton Jesus Almeida Júnior grew up in the Brotas neighborhood of Salvador, Bahia, where he was raised in a large family of 11 siblings. His earliest athletic dream was to become a professional football player, but the sport proved financially out of reach after a club asked him to pay the equivalent of ten thousand dollars to join. With that path closed, Almeida turned to combat sports, beginning boxing training at the age of six and later starting Brazilian jiu-jitsu at eleven, following the footsteps of his father.
Financial pressure shaped much of his early adulthood. While pursuing his dream of becoming a professional fighter, Almeida worked as a doorman and a security guard to make ends meet. His older brother Alexandre, who had become entangled with a criminal organization, disappeared one day and was never seen again, a loss that left a lasting mark on the family.
Path to MMA
Almeida began his professional mixed martial arts career in 2012, initially competing as a Welterweight. He built his record on the Brazilian regional circuit, where he posted a 13-2 mark, sharpened his submission skills, and captured the Thunder Fight title. That championship run earned him a high-profile opportunity: an invitation to Dana White’s Contender Series 39 on 14 September 2021.
On the Contender Series, Jailton Jesus Almeida Júnior faced Nasrudin Nasrudinov and finished the bout in the second round by submission, a performance that convinced UFC executives to award him a promotional contract. His path from a doorman working night shifts in Salvador to a UFC roster spot reflected years of steady grappling progress and a late but decisive break in his career trajectory.
Jailton Almeida Career
Early Career (2012-2021)
Across nearly a decade on the regional scene, Almeida racked up thirteen wins against two losses, with most of his victories coming by submission. He moved through the Welterweight, Middleweight, and Light Heavyweight divisions between 2012 and 2018, building the wrestling-heavy style that would later define his UFC run.
By 2019, Jailton Jesus Almeida Júnior had settled primarily at Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight, where his size and grappling gave him a clear advantage. The Thunder Fight title cemented his status as a top Brazilian heavyweight prospect and ultimately led to his Contender Series call-up in late 2021.
UFC Breakthrough (2021-2022)
Almeida made his UFC debut on 5 February 2022 at UFC Fight Night 200, where he stopped Danilo Marques via technical knockout in the first round. In his sophomore appearance, originally booked against Maxim Grishin, he moved up to Heavyweight on short notice and submitted Parker Porter with a rear-naked choke, also in round one.
He kept the momentum going at UFC 279, dominating Anton Turkalj with takedowns and finishing him via rear-naked choke at the end of the opening round, a performance that earned him his first Performance of the Night bonus. Almeida closed 2022 by finishing Shamil Abdurakhimov via second-round technical knockout at UFC 283, collecting another Performance of the Night award and cementing his reputation as a fast-rising heavyweight contender.
UFC Heavyweight Run (2023-2025)
On 13 May 2023, Jailton Jesus Almeida Júnior submitted Jairzinho Rozenstruik via rear-naked choke in the first round at UFC on ABC 4, earning a third consecutive Performance of the Night bonus. He followed that with a unanimous decision win over Derrick Lewis at UFC Fight Night 231, registering 21 minutes and 10 seconds of ground control time, a UFC heavyweight record and the fourth-longest ground control total in UFC history.
His first major setback came on 9 March 2024 at UFC 299, when Curtis Blaydes knocked him out early in the second round. Almeida bounced back on 1 June 2024, submitting Alexander Romanov via rear-naked choke in round one at UFC 302. He added another Performance of the Night award on 18 January 2025, stopping Serghei Spivac via first-round technical knockout at UFC 311, before dropping a split decision to Alexander Volkov at UFC 321 on 25 October 2025.
Style and Strengths
Jailton Jesus Almeida Júnior is widely recognized for his suffocating top control and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt finishing instincts, with thirteen of his twenty-two career wins coming by submission. Operating from an orthodox stance with a 201-centimeter reach, he uses relentless wrestling to dictate where the fight takes place, then hunts for chokes once the bout hits the mat. His strategy leans heavily on grinding pace, positional control, and late-round submission threats.
Notable Events and Milestones
His 21 minutes and 10 seconds of ground control against Derrick Lewis remains a UFC heavyweight record, and his run of four Performance of the Night bonuses across his first five UFC wins announced his arrival as a force in the division. Reaching the number six spot in the UFC heavyweight rankings by late 2025 marked the highest ranking of his career.
Jailton Almeida Career Wins
Jailton Jesus Almeida Júnior has compiled twenty-two professional victories, including thirteen submissions, two knockouts, and a mix of decision wins, with the bulk of his finishes coming via rear-naked choke. His finishing ability has been especially visible inside the UFC, where bonus awards have accompanied several of his biggest performances.
UFC Highlights
Inside the UFC, Almeida’s submission wins include Parker Porter, Anton Turkalj, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Alexander Romanov, all by rear-naked choke in the first round. His most recent UFC win came on 18 January 2025, when he stopped Serghei Spivac via first-round technical knockout at UFC 311, earning another Performance of the Night award.
His UFC knockout victories include his debut against Danilo Marques and his second-round finish of Shamil Abdurakhimov at UFC 283. Beyond finishes, his unanimous decision over Derrick Lewis stands out for the historical ground control stat line that set a new UFC heavyweight benchmark.
Other Wins and Performances
Before joining the UFC, Almeida captured the Thunder Fight title and built a 13-2 record on the Brazilian regional circuit. His regional success included multiple submission finishes, helping him earn the Contender Series shot that launched his UFC career.
Jailton Almeida Family
Family Background and Fighting Lineage
Jailton Jesus Almeida Júnior comes from a large family in Salvador, with eleven siblings. He followed his father into combat sports, beginning boxing at age six and Brazilian jiu-jitsu at eleven, a foundation that eventually carried him into mixed martial arts.
Personal Life
Almeida is known publicly by the nickname “Malhadinho” and trains out of LG System in Salvador, Bahia, where he continues to live. He has spoken openly about working as a doorman and security guard earlier in his career to support his training.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar shaped up as a defining year for Jailton Jesus Almeida Júnior in the UFC heavyweight division. Riding a wave of Performance of the Night bonuses, he opened the year by stopping Serghei Spivac via first-round technical knockout at UFC 311 on 18 January 2025, another emphatic grappling win that pushed him into the top ten.
His momentum, however, stalled on 25 October 2025 at UFC 321, where he dropped a split decision to Alexander Volkov in a bout that limited his takedown output. Despite the loss, Almeida held the number six spot in the UFC heavyweight rankings as of 25 November 2025, keeping him firmly in the title conversation heading into the next stretch of his career.
