Analysis: Jailton Almeida's striking vulnerabilities exposed despite Curtis Blaydes win

Despite defeating Curtis Blaydes, Jailton Almeida's willingness to absorb significant strikes raises concerns about potential matchups with knockout artists like Alex Pereira or Sergei Pavlovich. The analyst notes that while Almeida's power has increased and he displayed effective elbow work in the third round, his reckless approach could lead to a knockout loss against elite strikers. However, Almeida showed high-level takedown defense by easily stuffing Blaydes' wrestling attempts. The piece suggests Almeida's aggressive style aligns well with the current UFC promotional climate under Dana White and Trump's interest. A potential matchup with Derrick Lewis is mentioned, though there are concerns Lewis may prioritize earning money and avoiding damage over securing a victory.