UFC Releases Jailton Almeida After Consecutive Losses

The Brazilian fighter failed to impress in his last two bouts, leading to his UFC exit.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The UFC has released Brazilian fighter Jailton Almeida after he suffered back-to-back losses against Alexander Volkov and Rizvan Kuniev. Almeida had a 8-3 record in the UFC, competing at both light heavyweight and heavyweight, but his recent performances were deemed unsatisfactory by the promotion.

Why it matters

Almeida was seen as a promising prospect in the UFC, but his inability to secure wins in his last two fights has led to his release from the promotion. This highlights the competitive nature of the UFC roster and the pressure on fighters to consistently perform at a high level to maintain their spot on the roster.

The details

Almeida earned a UFC contract by winning a light heavyweight fight on Dana White's Contender Series in September 2021. He had a successful Octagon debut at 205 pounds, finishing Danilo Marques in the opening round. After one catchweight victory, Almeida moved up to heavyweight, where he compiled a 5-3 record. However, his last two fights against Volkov and Kuniev were largely underwhelming, with Almeida failing to impress the UFC brass.

  • Almeida earned a UFC contract in September 2021.
  • Almeida made his UFC debut at light heavyweight in February 2022.
  • Almeida moved up to heavyweight in 2023.
  • Almeida suffered losses against Volkov and Kuniev in his last two fights.
  • The UFC has now released Almeida following his consecutive defeats.

The players

Jailton Almeida

A 34-year-old Brazilian fighter who competed in the UFC at both light heavyweight and heavyweight, compiling an 8-3 record before being released by the promotion.

Alexander Volkov

A Russian heavyweight fighter who defeated Almeida in a split decision at UFC 321.

Rizvan Kuniev

A Russian heavyweight fighter who defeated Almeida in his most recent bout at UFC Fight Night 266.

Dana White

The president of the UFC, who expressed his displeasure with Almeida's performance against Volkov, stating that he cannot win fights by just 'laying on top of somebody'.

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What they’re saying

“You can't win a fight by just laying on top of somebody. That's not how it works. I was actually very happy with the way judges scored that fight.”

— Dana White, UFC President (UFC 321 post-fight press conference)

What’s next

Almeida will now need to look for opportunities outside of the UFC to continue his professional fighting career.

The takeaway

Jailton Almeida's release from the UFC serves as a reminder that even promising prospects must consistently perform at a high level to maintain their spot on the roster. The competitive nature of the UFC means that fighters are constantly under pressure to deliver wins, and Almeida's inability to do so in his last two bouts ultimately led to his dismissal from the promotion.