Highlights! Almeida Smokes Spivac, Calls Out Gane

Yesterday at 11:07 PM

Jailton Almeida reminded the heavyweight division that he's a top contender earlier tonight (Sat., Jan. 18, 2025) at UFC 311 live on ESPN+ pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, Calif., as the Brazilian wrestler put a brutal stop to Serghei Spivac with a first-round TKO (punches).

Spivac had won seven of his last nine Octagon appearances coming into UFC 311, but "Polar Bear" was still a +300 betting underdog. That's because Almeida has proven to be the best takedown specialist in the UFC's heavyweight division. If not for a split-second knockout defeat to Curtis Blaydes, Almeida would be on the cusp of his first-ever title shot.

That said, Spivac did not make this fight easy for Almeida. "Polar Bear" surprised many with his own takedown early into the first round and landed some hard punches as well. Almeida is tough, though, and eventually regained control on the ground and unloaded vicious punches. Spivac was in serious trouble and simply couldn't defend anymore. The fight was waved off and Almeida walked away with a crucial finish.

Check out the video highlights below:

Almeida, 33, is now 6-1 in the UFC's heavyweight division. This was a huge performance that should go a long way in getting Almeida a bigger matchup next. He called out former UFC title challenger Ciryl Gane after his win so maybe that's the fight to make. Check out Almeida's post-fight callout below:

For complete UFC 311 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.