Jailton Almeida completely dominated Derrick Lewis on the mat tonight at UFC Fight Night 231, but despite all the advantageous positions he found himself in he was never really able to come close to finding a finish and had to settle for a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
The heavyweight main event is underway in Sao Paulo!
Push kick from Almeida. Head kick attempt from Almeida just seemed to graze the target. Now he works into a takedown smoothly and lands the double-leg strongly.
Almeida wasting no time here as he manages to get into full mount. Lewis gives up his back and Almeida is working for an arm-triangle choke. He’s caught up against the cage though, but adjusts and is on top trying to finish the choke. Lewis is able to get out of it though, but Almeida is still in full mount.
Lewis tries to power out of the bad spot, but Almedia is too strong on top. Lewis gives up his back again. Almeida looking for the body lock, but Lewis manages to turn into him and tries to stand. however, Almeida readjusts to bring him down before he can get fully upright.
Almeida straight back into full mount. Now Almeida isolates an arm and then goes for an arm-triangle again. He’s moving off to the side, but he still has a leg in half-guard. He opts to give up on the choke and moves back to full mount.
A few punches land from Almeida. Lewis hand-fighting. Right hand lands for Almeida. Now a few elbows. Almeida opts to stand up in full mount which doesn’t really work out as Lewis gets up, with Almeida quickly driving back in for a takedown attempt as the round ends.
Round Two:
Lewis fakes a couple of uppercuts. Now a jumping kick from him that misses. Almeida patient for now and still looks light on his feet.
Lewis comes forward and Almeida’s timing is impeccable as he goes low and lands a takedown. Lewis giving up his back and before long Almeida is back in full mount. He thinks about an arm-triangle but opts not to go for it for now.
More hand fighting and then Lewis explodes to get to his knees, but he can’t get upright as Almeida takes his back. Now Almeida goes for the rear-naked chhoke. It’s more of a crank as he applies pressure, but Lewis gets out of it.
Almeida lets go and just opts to get some control time from the back. Lewis lands a couple of elbow behind him. Almeida goes for the rear-naked choke, changes arms, but still can’t quite find a way to really make it pay off.
Almeida landing a few punches to the body and head in the final seconds of the round.
Round Three:
Lewis attempts a flying knee and then an uppercut, but he doesn’t connect and Almeida is in on a takedown. He’s not able to get it and Lewis threatens with another uppercut that doesn’t land.
Almeida on his knees working for the takedown and he continues to battle for it until he gets Lewis on his back.
Almeida back in full mount. Short hammer-fists land to the head. Now a hard elbow connects. A few more punches connect. Lewis goes to his back, Almeida slides off and Lewis is on top! Now it’s Lewis who is letting his hands go with some ground-and-pound.
Almeida able to get out from underneath and sweeps to get back on top and find his way to full mount yet again. Almeida staying patient then lands an elbow to the head. Now a few right hands get through and Lewis gives up his back, then rolls to his back quickly again.
Lewis to his knees again and Almeida lands a few punches. Lewis goes to his back again and Almeida is in side control. A hammerfist lands and Lewis didn’t react well to that and is suddenly scrambling to his feet under fire. He does manage to stand up and that’s the end of the round.
Round Four:
Push kick for Almeida. Now a calf kick that buckles Lewis’ lead leg for a moment. Almeida with a fast takedown entry while avoiding an uppercut counter and then brings Lewis down.
Almeida is back in that familiar full-mount position. Bit of a scramble and Almeida goes to side control. Lewis attempts to explode out from under him, but has to settle for getting Almeida back to half-guard.
Almeida back into full mount. Now he has the back and is working for a rear-naked choke. He can’t get it fully under the chin though.
They roll and Almeida is back in half-guard. Back to full mount, then around to the back and Lewis is on one knee trying to stand without success as Almeida keeps his weight on him in the final few seconds of the round.
Round Five:
Lewis throws a hard punch, but Almeida backs out of range. Lewis wades forward and works a huge uppercut, but Almeida ducks under and works for the takedown. Lewis stuffing it and looking to land strikes. Almeida working for another takedown but Lewis defends it well.
Almeida in the clinch and then lands a good takedown. He’s in 3/4 mount and now full mount. Two minutes remaining and not much urgency from Almeida to find the finish.
Almeida moves to side control and lands a couple of knees to the body. Now into 3/4 mount again. Briefly he’s in half-guard then passes easily to side control. Lewis scrambles and manages to stand. Almeida gives him no opportunity to strike though as he is straight on the legs again and brings him back down again.
Almeida back into full mount. Lewis gives up his back. Almeida taking a breather rather than trying to work for strikes or a submission. Lewis to a knee and then stand. Almeida throws him to the mat one last time as the final horn sounds.
Decision:
Complete and utter domination on the mat from Almeida there then, but though his wrestling ability was impressive he’ll surely be disappointed that he didn’t find a finish or do more damage given the amount of time he spent in full mount and on Lewis’ back. Nevertheless, he convincingly wins a unanimous decision victory (50-44 x2, 50-45).
