Evgeny Goncharov Outpoints Jailton Almeida by Unanimous Decision at ACA 207

Evgeny Goncharov handed Jailton Almeida a third straight defeat, outpointing the Brazilian heavyweight by unanimous decision at ACA 207 on September 12, with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28 in the Russian's favor.

Goncharov, 40, made his case early with a flash knockdown in the opening round and then locked in a takedown in the third to close out the scorecards. The win pushes his current winning streak to nine consecutive fights, a run that stretches back to a defeat in 2020. Competing under the ACA banner, the veteran heavyweight has turned back the clock to produce one of the more remarkable late-career streaks in European MMA.

Almeida, known as "Malhadinho," entered the bout at 35 years old carrying a record of 22 wins and 5 losses. The six-foot-three Brazilian, who trains out of Galpao da Luta, was until recently regarded as one of the more dangerous heavyweights on the planet, having been ranked inside the UFC top six in the division as recently as last year. He brings a 79-inch reach and a well-rounded grappling game to every outing, averaging 5.64 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 1.7 submission attempts in the same span. His striking accuracy sits at an impressive 62 percent, though his output of 2.23 significant strikes per minute reflects a style built more around control than volume. None of that translated into a positive result on this night, however, and the loss extends a concerning slide to three defeats in a row.

Why it matters

• Goncharov's nine-fight streak makes him a credible heavyweight contender in ACA and raises his profile beyond the promotion.
• A third consecutive loss is a significant setback for Almeida, whose path back to elite-level competition now becomes steeper.
• The result puts a dent in Almeida's heavyweight ranking stock and invites questions about his future at the top level of the division.