Curtis Blaydes stated he respects Jailton Almeida as a fighter despite disliking the Brazilian's personality and pre-fight behavior. Blaydes explained it would be insincere and hypocritical to deny Almeida's fighting ability after their bout. The heavyweight contender acknowledged that while he doesn't enjoy Almeida's persona or antics, he must respect him inside the octagon. Blaydes rhetorically asked how he could not respect someone who broke his orbital bone during their fight. He emphasized that his respect for Almeida is specifically about his abilities as a fighter when they face each other with gloves on, separating the fighter from the personality.
Curtis Blaydes has gone on record saying he holds genuine respect for Jailton Almeida as a fighter, even while making clear he has no fondness for the Brazilian's personality or pre-fight conduct.
Blaydes, known as "Razor," is a 35-year-old American heavyweight ranked fourth in the division. He carries a 19-6-0 record and fights out of Elevation Fight Team. Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, Blaydes is one of the more physically imposing contenders in the weight class. He lands 3.56 significant strikes per minute and averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes, underscoring a well-rounded game that has kept him near the top of the heavyweight rankings for years.
Almeida, nicknamed "Malhadinho," sits at fifth in the heavyweight rankings with a 22-5-0 record. The 35-year-old Brazilian trains out of Galpao da Luta and brings a physically striking presence at six-foot-three with a 79-inch reach. He is one of the division's most dangerous finishers, posting 5.64 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes, while also connecting on 62 percent of his significant strikes.
Blaydes was direct in separating his feelings about Almeida the person from his assessment of Almeida the competitor. He said it would be insincere to dismiss what Almeida is capable of inside the octagon, pointedly noting that the man broke his orbital bone during their fight. That kind of outcome, Blaydes suggested, demands acknowledgment regardless of personal feelings.
Why it matters
- Blaydes ranks fourth and Almeida fifth at heavyweight, so the rivalry carries direct divisional consequences
- The orbital injury detail confirms genuine bad blood rooted in physical combat, not manufactured promotion
- Both fighters average more than five takedowns per 15 minutes, suggesting any rematch would feature a high-stakes grappling dimension
