Later, Heavyweight!
Top-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Jailton Almeida is officially heading back to 205 pounds following his awful performance at UFC Vegas 113.
Almeida suffered a unanimous decision loss to Rizvan Kuniev in the featured bout last weekend (Sat., Feb. 7, 2026) inside the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada — a fight that drew heavy criticism due to its lack of urgency and offense.
Despite the setback, Almeida has enjoyed plenty of success at Heavyweight. The Brazilian
went 6-3 in the division, scored five finishes, and climbed as high as No. 6 in the UFC Heavyweight rankings. Still, fans have long questioned whether his future truly lies at 265 pounds, especially given his wrestling-heavy style.
Up until recently, Almeida dismissed the idea entirely.
“I get asked about it a lot, but I have no intention of going back to 205 lbs,” Almeida told MMAmania.com during UFC Vegas 113 media day. “I’m very athletic and carry a lot of muscle mass, so I’d have to lose a lot of lean mass. That’s too much. I’m staying at Heavyweight.”
That stance didn’t last long.
Just two days after his loss, Almeida’s managers — Tiago Okamura and Leonardo Pateira — confirmed to Brazilian journalist Laerte Viana and MMA Fighting that Almeida has informed the UFC of his decision to return to the Light Heavyweight division.
Almeida hasn’t competed at 205 pounds since 2022, when he steamrolled Danilo Marques in under three minutes (watch highlights). And the timing could work in his favor. The Light Heavyweight division is thin on contenders, particularly if champion Alex Pereira vacates the belt to chase gold at Heavyweight.
With Almeida’s elite grappling, he could immediately insert himself into the title picture.
That said, Almeida’s biggest issue isn’t size or strength — it’s aggression. He vowed to be more assertive against Kuniev, but failed to deliver. If he hopes to succeed at 205, that must change.
For complete UFC Vegas 113 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.
