Fast-rising heavyweight hurter Jailton Almeida was hoping a dominant decision victory over Derrick Lewis at UFC Sao Paulo would lead to bigger and better opportunities in the 265-pound division, like a high-stakes collision against former interim champion Ciryl Gane.
Instead, it put the No. 7-ranked “Malhadinho” (20-2) right back where he started — in a heavyweight showdown opposite No. 5-ranked Curtis Blaydes (17-4, 1 NC).
That’s according to MMA Fighting, which has the Almeida-Blaydes fight headed to the UFC 299 pay-per-view (PPV) card in March. The promotion has yet to reveal the city and venue for the upcoming event; however, an announcement is expected within the next few days.
UFC 299 will be headlined by Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera for the bantamweight belt.
Blaydes was the original opponent for the Brazilian’s trip to Sao Paulo, but a late injury bounced him from the card and paved the way for Lewis. Unfortunately, Almeida’s performance — which has been blamed on tiny forearms — left something to be desired.
Expect more UFC 299 fight card announcements in the coming weeks.