Jailton Almeida learned a painful lesson tonight at UFC 321 that focusing purely on control on top isn’t enough as Alexander Volkov defeated him by split-decision despite spending most of the fight on his back.
Round One
Almeida immediately in on a single-leg takedown and gets it. Volkov using his legs to try to keep Almeida at bay. Volkov warned not to hit the back of his opponent’s head with elbows as Almeida settles into half-guard.
Patient work from Almeida on top here, but he needs to start working some offense or he’ll get stood up. Almeida in no rush though as he fends off an attempt from Volkov to break free.
Almeida attempting to pass guard, but Volkov’s long limbs enable him to start working for a sweep, and while it takes some time, he eventually completes it.
Almeida focusing on getting half-guard as Volkov starts to drop down some ground-and-pound. Almeida has hold of Volkov’s leg and is trying to leverage his way back to his feet. Credit to Volkov though for denying that and then looking for more ground-and-pound.
Volkov drops a few elbow down to the head. Now he chips away with a few swiping punches in the final seconds of the round.
Round Two
Nice right hand from Almeida that caught Volkov by surprise, and that enables him to then transition under to land a takedown.
This time around Almeida is in Volkov’s full guard. The Brazilian passes to half-guard now. He was warned by his corner to be more active on top, so let’s see if he’s taken heed of that sound advice.
The ref already warning Almeida to work. Almeida still ignoring offense and instead tries to pass guard. Almeida does get to side control, then takes the back. Volkov stands, but Almeida forces him back to one knee in the center of the Octagon.
Volkov turtles up and then rolls to his back, leaving Almeida back in half-guard. Almeida steps into full mount, but Volkov quickly brings him back to full guard.
Almeida punished for his continued lack of activity as the ref opts to stand them back up again. However, Almeida simply drives straight into another takedown and brings Volkov down again as the Russian was trying to land a knee.
Almeida still with no urgency, perhaps feeling that he can just take down Volkov at will if he needs to. However, Volkov isn’t just looking to force a stand-up here as he starts working on a potential kimura from his back. Nothing really happening there though as the round comes to a close.
Round Three
Punch for Volkov, but Almeida counters with a takedown. Volkov ready for it though this time and reverses the position, pressing Volkov up against the cage.
Knee strikes from Volkov to the body from the clinch. Almeida goes for a takedown and despite a struggle is able to get Volkov on his back.
Volkov with short punches from his back as Almeida continues to show little interest in ground-and-pound. Volkov bringing him back to full guard. Almeida trying for half-guard on the other side and Volkov attempts to catch him in a triangle choke, but Almeida steers clear of that and returns to his full guard.
Almeida in half-guard again now. He’s shifting around to side control and Volkov goes to his knees, enabling Almeida to take the back.
Almeida can’t get the body triangle in and so he goes back to half-guard. Volkov bleeding from his ear. The ref forces another stand-up.
Almeida simply takes Volkov back down one final time and stays on top for the remaining seconds of the fight.
Decision
Almeida barely threw a strike in this fight, but every time he went for a takedown he landed it, and with his long spells of control on top he appeared to believe he’d done enough to earn him the win. However two of the judges clearly didn’t appreciate Almeida’s lack of offense, and leaned towards Volkov for at least making an attempt to damage his opponent, and so it’s the Russian who emerges with a split-decision victory (29-28 x2, 28-28).
