Jailton Almeida top-controls Derrick Lewis for 21 of 25 minutes

Jailton Almeida showcased his dominance over Derrick Lewis in an electrifying fight in Brazil.

Despite the lack of significant damage, Almeida (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) outperformed the former heavyweight title challenger Lewis (27-12 MMA, 18-10 UFC) to secure a unanimous decision victory (50-44, 50-44, 50-45).

This highly anticipated heavyweight bout served as the main event of UFC Fight Night 231 at Ginasio Do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo.

According to UFC Stats, Almeida maintained control over Lewis for 21 minutes and 10 seconds of the fight, while Lewis only had 57 seconds of domination.

The tempo was set early on as Almeida executed a double leg takedown, lifting “The Black Beast” off his feet. Almeida swiftly transitioned to mount and attempted submission holds, including an arm-triangle choke, but Lewis demonstrated impressive defensive skills.

The fight continued in a repetitive pattern, with Almeida consistently dictating the positions. Lewis occasionally managed to escape, only to end up back where he started.

In the closing seconds of Round 3, Almeida unleashed a flurry of strikes, appearing to stun Lewis.

Lewis displayed improved takedown defense in the later rounds, but it wasn’t enough. Almeida secured a unanimous decision victory and immediately called for a fight against former interim champion Ciryl Gane.

With this win, Almeida maintains his flawless UFC record and boasts a 4-0 record in the heavyweight division. Lewis, who recently signed a lucrative new eight-fight promotional deal in September, has now suffered four defeats in his last five fights.

The complete UFC Fight Night 231 results are as follows:

• Jailton Almeida def. Derrick Lewis via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-45)

• Nicolas Dalby def. Gabriel Bonfim via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:23

• Rodrigo Nascimento def. Don’Tale Mayes via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

• Caio Borralho def. Abus Magomedov via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

• Elves Brener def. Kaynan Kruschewsky via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 4:01

• Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos declared majority draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28)

• Vitor Petrino def. Modestas Bukauskas via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 1:03

• Angela Hill def. Denise Gomes via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

• Eduarda Moura def. Montserrat Conejo via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 2:14

• Marc Diakiese def. Kaue Fernandes via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

For more details about the event, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 231.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie