Heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Jailton Almeida closed the show at UFC Sao Paulo on Saturday, the promotion’s second trip to Brazil in 2023.
Lewis, the UFC’s KO King at heavyweight, is now a veteran of the company and as reliable a heavyweight as they have. He’s rarely been plagued by injury, consistently ranked in the top 10, and is a fan favorite for his knockout power and wry sense of humor.
Jailton Almeida is a different sort of animal. Part of the new breed of heavyweight, the Brazilian has stormed up the divisional rankings with five straight wins since securing a spot in the company on the Contender Series a couple of years back. Able to pound you out if he can’t submit you, Almeida is explosive — and a win over Lewis, a former title challenger who came up short against Daniel Cormier, could land him in the conversation for the next contender.
Of course, there’s just one problem there: with Jon Jones hurt and his fight with Stipe Miocic postponed, the interim title fight between Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 next week will determine who’s next in line. But should Jones be out longer than expected, or both he and Miocic retire after their meeting, the winner of Lewis and Almeida could very well be next — whenever “next” comes around.
UFC Sao Paulo Post-Fight Press Conference
Following Saturday’s Fight Night event, tune in for the UFC Sao Paulo post-fight press conference to stay on top of all the latest developments. A live stream is available via the embed above.
