In front of his home country, No.9-ranked heavyweight Jailton Almeida dominated No. 10-ranked Derrick Lewis in a land-slide unanimous decision (50-44x2, 50-45).
Despite a dominant wrestling base, Almeida, who entered the bout on a six-fight winning streak with two wins coming via KO/TKO, followed more of a conservative approach.
Almeida completed six takedowns and attempted four submissions. He also mounted Lewis, who is primarily known for his highlight-reel stoppages, several times.
READ MORE: UFC São Paulo Results & Highlights: Almeida Dominates Lewis
Although it wasn't the fight many fans had anticipated, Almeida said it was part of the game plan to stifle the attacks of "The Black Beast."
“The strategy was to control him on grappling,” Almeida said on the ESPN+ post-fight show (H/T MMAFighting). “But he’s very strong, and his hand is twice as big as mine. My forearm is quite thin, and he was able to grab ahold my forearm and really control the blows that I was trying to give out.”
Almeida added he had difficulty getting the finish early and often, which was his initial intention. He also recognized Lewis' elusive power could change the fight's outcome at any point.
“It was a tough fight,” Almeida said. “I was surprised that he never backed down. Derrick fought all the way. Although he fought last minute, he put on a good fight. But I managed to fight a good fight."
The victory improved Almeida's overall record to 20-2 (6-0 UFC), as he finishes 2023 on the doorstep of a potential top-five fight next. For the 32-year-old from Salvador, Bahia, he said he's excited for his next opportunity.
“I was happy with my performance," Almeida said. "Even though I didn’t knock him out, I’m ready for any fights. I’m ready to fight five rounds for any opponent.”
More must-reads: