Jailton Almeida passed on multiple offers after UFC departure, including Rousey vs. Carano spot, signs with Russian promotion
MMA Fighting
February 22, 2026
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Jailton Almeida has joined the ACA MMA heavyweight division following his release from the UFC, marking a significant shift in his career. Despite offers from major promotions like PFL, RIZIN, KSW, and Oktagon, Almeida chose to sign with the Russian-based organization. Notably, he turned down a high-profile one-fight deal with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) that would have featured him facing former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos on a Netflix-produced event headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. Instead, Almeida inked a four-fight contract with ACA, opting for long-term stability over a potential short-term spotlight.
Almeida's decision to join ACA comes after back-to-back losses in the UFC, including a widely criticized defeat to Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Vegas 113. These losses led to his release from the promotion, despite a strong record of eight wins in 11 bouts under the UFC banner, with seven of those victories coming via stoppage against notable opponents like Serghei Spivac and Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Known for his striking prowess, Almeida has established himself as a formidable force in the
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Originally published on MMA Fighting on 2/22/2026