Jailton Almeida Calls Out Tom Aspinall for UFC Heavyweight Title Fight
Jailton Almeida Calls Out Tom Aspinall for UFC Heavyweight Title Fight originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The UFC heavyweight division is finally showing signs of life. With Jon Jones reportedly stepping away from the sport, a long-stalled weight class is beginning to churn forward. Title hopefuls are lining up—and many are drooling at the chance to seize the throne. The belt is active, the king is crowned, and the contenders smell blood. One Brazilian wrecking ball isn't waiting around for a phone call.
Advertisement
That man is Jailton Almeida. The 33-year-old Brazilian from Salvador has quietly become one of the most avoided problems in the UFC—just ask anyone who's had to peel him off their back. After Tom Aspinall was formally recognized as the undisputed champion, Almeida fired off a raw and direct challenge on social media:
Congrats champ. You deserve that.
Now, let's make the only fight who make sense! Aspinall vs Almeida for undisputed HW title of the world.
Gane ducks you and me before, already fought for the belt and lost 2-times, and his last win was a robbery.
Tom AspinallGetty Images
No fluff. No filters. Just pressure.
Almeida is 9-1 in the UFC and currently riding a two-fight win streak. His most recent outing ended with Sergei Spivac flat on the canvas in Round 1 at UFC 311. His only loss came against Curtis Blaydes, but it hasn't slowed the narrative that he's a stylistic nightmare.
Advertisement
Almeida has finished eight of his nine UFC wins—most of them by submission or ground-and-pound. His ability to drag elite fighters into his world and end fights without absorbing much damage has become his calling card—and part of why many believe top contenders are hesitant to take the risk.
Now, with the Jon Jones era all but closed, Almeida wants in. He's not asking. He's demanding. The question is whether Dana White and company are ready to let the grappling juggernaut off the leash. The window is open, and the call has been made. Now it's on the UFC to answer.
Related: Tom Aspinall Has the Heavyweight Crown—Three Challengers Eye His First Defense
Related: UFC Signs Former PFL Heavyweight Champion in Strategic Roster Move
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
28 minutes ago
- Forbes
UFC 317 Fight Card Odds And Predictions: Pantoja Vs. Kara-France
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 16: Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil exits the Octagon following the UFC ... More flyweight championship fight during the UFC 296 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 16, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Two UFC title fights headline Saturday's UFC 317 fight card. In the main event, two former champions, Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira, battle it out for the vacant UFC lightweight strap. Meanwhile, in the UFC 317 co-main event, UFC flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja attempts to make his fourth defense of the title he claimed in June 2023 against former interim UFC 125-pound title challenger Kai Kara France. We take a deep look at the Pantoja vs. Kara-France matchup. UFC 317 takes place on June 28 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The ESPN+ streaming pay-per-view card headlines this year's version of the UFC's annual International Fight Week. UFC 317 Co-Main Event: Alexandre Pantoja Vs. Kai Kara-France LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 08: Alexandre Pantoja celebrates after defeating UFC flyweight champion ... More Brandon Moreno during UFC 290 at T-Mobile Arena on July 08, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pantoja won the title by split decision. (Photo by) Alexandre Pantoja (29-5) is on a seven-fight winning streak heading into UFC 317. The 35-year-old Brazilian made his UFC debut in July 2017 with a split-decision win over Eric Shelton. Pantoja's career had its ups and downs over the next three years, where he went 5-3, but he has not lost since he dropped a decision to Askar Askarov in July 2020. Pantoja won the UFC flyweight title in July 2023 on the heels of two 'Performance of the Night' submission wins. Pantoja secured the 125-pound title with a split decision win over Brandon Moreno. Since that victory, Pantoja has defended his three times, beating Brandon Royval in December 2023 and Steve Erceg in May 2024. Both fights ended in decision victories. Pantoja picked up his 19th career finish in his third title defense, submitting Kai Asakura at UFC 310 in December 2024. PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 18: Kai Kara-France of New Zealand prepares to face Steve Erceg of ... More Australia in a flyweight fight during the UFC 305 event at RAC Arena on August 18, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Kai Kara-France (25-11-0-1) was 17-7-0-1 when he got the call from the UFC in 2019. In his first fight with the promotion, the New Zealander faced a short-notice opponent in Elias Garcia. The two won 'Fight of the Night' honors for their efforts, with Kara-France picking up the decision win. Kara-France followed that victory with two more wins on the judge's scorecards. Then, in December 2019, he faced future champion Brandon Moreno on the early prelims of the UFC 245 pay-per-view card. Moreno won that bout by decision. Kara-France went 1-1 in his next two outings. He then tore off three straight wins between March 2021 and March 2022 and found himself as the No. 2 ranked fighter in the division. In his next outing, he faced Moreno, who was ranked No. 1, in the co-main event of UFC 277. At stake was the interim UFC flyweight title. Moreno won that contest by TKO in the third round. Kara-France followed that setback with a split-decision loss to Amir Albazi in June 2023. Kara-France was booked to face Manel Kape in September 2023, but a concussion during training camp prevented Kara-France from competing on that card, UFC 293. The 32-year-old would not return to action until August 2024, where he earned a first-round TKO win, and a 'Performance of the Night' bonus against Steve Erceg. Kara-France enters UFC 317 as the No. 4 fighter in the official UFC flyweight rankings. UFC 317 Co-Main Event Betting Lines And Movement: Alexandre Pantoja Vs. Kai Kara-France When BetOnline posted the opening odds for the UFC 317 co-main event, Pantoja was a -250 betting favorite over Kara-France, who opened as the +210 betting underdog. Those odds have held and remain the same today. UFC 317 Co-Main Event Tale Of The Tape: Alexandre Pantoja Vs. Kai Kara-France Age: 35 Height: 5' 5' Reach: 67' Stance: Orthodox Age: 32 Height: 5'4' Reach: 69' Stance: Orthodox UFC 317 Co-Main Event Predictions And Picks: Alexandre Pantoja Vs. Kai Kara-France LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 07: (L-R) Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil reacts to his win over Kai ... More Asakura of Japan in the UFC flyweight championship bout during the UFC 310 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) We're looking at a grappler vs. striking battle in the co-main event of UFC 317. The champ is the grappler and the challenger is the striker. These two fought in an exhibition match in 2016 during The Ultimate Fighter. Pantoja won that two-round affair by decision. Don't put much stock in that contest. Look for Pantoja to move forward and strike with Kara-France early, but then look for the takedown where he will be able to drag Kara-France into deep water and outwork him on the mat. Yes, Kara-France has a punchers chance, but not much more than that. The betting pick is for Pantoja to beat Kara-France by decision to retain the UFC flyweight title at UFC 317. We will have more on the UFC 317 co-main event as fight night nears, as well as live results, reactions, highlights and more for the UFC 317 pay-per-view card on fight night.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Brazilian clubs are upending the global order at the Club World Cup
'The graveyard of football is full of 'favourites',' warned Botafogo manager Renato Paiva in what has proven to be this summer's coldest line in sweltering United States heat. Gritty draws achieved by Palmeiras against Porto and Fluminense against Borussia Dortmund at the Club World Cup were enough to start a conversation. But the underdog heroics of Brazil's other two clubs have shaken up how we see club football across the world. For the first time since Corinthians shocked Chelsea in Yokohama in 2012, when some Brazilian fans sold their homes and vehicles to make the trip, the reigning Copa Libertadores champions have beaten the Champions League winners. Igor Jesus, who has been strongly linked to Nottingham Forest, scored the only goal of the game as Botafogo beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, a special setting for Brazilians given it is where they won the World Cup in 1994 and honoured the recently deceased Ayrton Senna. Advertisement Not to be outdone by their Rio rivals, Flamengo erased some of the hurt of losing to Liverpool in 2019 – when the Brazil forward Roberto Firmino scored the winner – by beating Chelsea 3-1 to guarantee a place in the knockouts. It was also the first time a Brazilian club has beaten a European side by two goals since Vasco da Gama embarrassed Manchester United in 2000. 'It was a remarkable victory, against a team that needs no introduction,' said Flamengo No 7 Luiz Araújo after the win against Chelsea. 'It has a special flavour not only because of the size of the opponent, but also because of all our preparation and dedication up until now. We deserved the result and we want more. Old heads will be quick to remind us that this is the usual order being restored. Throughout the 20th century, Brazilian sides regularly got the better of those from the Old Continent. Pelé scored five goals as Santos beat Benfica 8-4 over two legs in the 1962 Intercontinental Cup final; he scored four in the final the following year as Santos saw off the mighty Milan. In 1981, Flamengo thrashed Liverpool in the final; and in the 1990s São Paulo beat Barcelona's 'Dream Team' in 1992 and then dispatched the great Milan team of the era the following year. There were valid arguments for the Brasileirão being the strongest domestic league in the world. At the Club World Championship in 2000 – a similar tournament to the one in the United States this year – the best European sides visited Brazil and were soundly beaten. Manchester United, fresh off winning the treble, and Real Madrid did not qualify from their group. Two Brazilian clubs – Corinthians and Vasco da Gama – contested the final. Advertisement Despite the odd recent victory for Brazilian clubs – such as São Paulo beating Liverpool in 2005, Internacional overcoming Barcelona in 2006, and Corinthians winning against Chelsea in 2012 – the tide has turned against them in this century. A generation ago, when Brazilian clubs were under less pressure to sell their stars, players such as Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos did not move across the Atlantic until they were well into their 20s, keeping the league strong. Now, however, the clubs are financially mismanaged and have to sell their best talents for a relative pittance when they are teenagers. On top of that, TV rights money in Europe and the financial doping of state-run clubs provided further disparity. Related: 'Sorry, sorry, sorry': Jackson apologises for red card as Flamengo stun Chelsea At the Club World Cup, however, matters are being decided between the white lines and away from the boardroom. 'Football is played on the pitch, 11 against 11,' says Araújo. 'We have great teams in Brazil who are all capable of facing any team in the world. Flamengo always goes on the pitch to win, regardless of who is on the other side.' The facts don't lie. The four Brazilian teams are unbeaten in the tournament and top of their groups, having scored 14 goals and conceding just four. 'The victories show the strength of Brazilian football,' says Fluminense manager Renato Gaúcho, who dismisses the argument that European sides are tired after a long season. 'If a Brazilian club loses, they say: 'Ah, Brazilian football can't measure up to European football'. If they win, they say: 'Ah, European football is coming back from holiday'. That doesn't exist in football!' Advertisement He points out that the teams usually meet at the end of the calendar year, when Brazilian clubs are coming off an even more exhausting season. 'When European football catches Brazilian clubs having played between 70 and 80 games a year, nobody makes that excuse. Nobody says: 'Ah, the Brazilian team is tired'. When the European team crushes them, then they say: 'Ah, we really can't measure up to them.' Brazilian football has been having a great Mundial, overcoming powerful opponents and achieving results. This shows that money alone does not always win matches. 'Yes, there is no way to compete with the Europeans in terms of finances; they can sign great players and form very strong teams, but football is decided on the field. And, on the field, today, Brazilian football and the Brazilian people have to be very proud of what Brazilian clubs have been doing. When many people didn't believe this would happen, it is happening.' Palmeiras boss Abel Ferreira has also balked at the idea that European clubs are tired, saying the number of games 'excuse' is 'a lie' – and something that Brazilian clubs have had to cope with in the past. 'When we go to the Mundial, we're also at the end of the season. Porto has 50 games; Palmeiras has 36 already. And when we go to play in a Mundial, we'll have more than 70 games. These are excuses.' To their credit, Luis Enrique and Enzo Maresca did not make excuses and were very gracious in defeat. But not everyone has been as generous. Marc Cucurella said Chelsea struggled in the heat and the Borussia Dortmund substitutes ridiculously sat inside the dressing room for the first half against Mamelodi Sundowns when the temperature was just 30.5C. Advertisement Mauro Cezar, a hugely popular pundit in Brazil, says the European teams showed 'a certain arrogance' in not giving the tournament due respect. 'European teams entered this tournament without taking it as seriously as those from other continents. Of course, the heat is a hindrance for them, as is the fact that it's the end of the season. But if they have more money, better players and better coaches, they should compensate for these negative points by playing the minimum to overcome opponents who did not cause much concern, at least until the competition began. 'These arguments are valid, but they do not justify Paris Saint-Germain being unable to score a goal against Botafogo and barely threatening; Monterey drawing with Inter; Borussia Dortmund almost losing to Fluminense and conceding three goals to a South African team; Porto being dominated by Palmeiras; and Flamengo crushing Chelsea for practically the entire time. Claiming that the competition is not important does not justify this sequence of results against teams with much lower investment. Not facing this reality is yet another sign of arrogance.' Araújo, who saw the Chelsea players close up on the field, pushes back on the idea that they do not care about the tournament. 'No one goes on the field to lose; everyone wants to win,' says the Flamengo forward. 'The game against Chelsea was very competitive. Everyone defends their family, their shirt and the fans who are in the stands cheering them on.' The Flamengo manager Filipe Luís, who spent most of his playing career in Europe at Atlético Madrid, Chelsea and Deportivo, believes that Brazilian clubs have rebalanced the scales at the tournament but cannot compete with the very best 'eight or 10 clubs' from Europe. 'Apart from this elite, Brazilians are at the same level as the second European tier because of how we compete, how we understand the game, how we adapt to the climatic and field conditions. This elite is superior to us, but on the field anyone can win.' Advertisement As Cezar points out, the 'big difference between Europe and South America is money', with Chelsea alone investing €1.5bn in their squad. 'This amount is equivalent to the combined debts of several Brazilian clubs; the disproportion is enormous. Since the European leagues have more global visibility and money, they naturally attract the best coaches and players. Consequently, they are more tactically, technically and even physically developed in some cases. However, when a Brazilian club, like Flamengo, which defeated Chelsea with authority, organises itself financially, with good players within the South American reality, and has a coach with a modern mentality, although very young and without much experience, the result is what we saw in Philadelphia.' We are only at the group stage of the Club World Cup but, whether it's merely a Fifa cash grab or a holiday camp for the European teams, the tournament has served an unexpected purpose for Brazil. It has allowed Brazilians to take pride in the idea that not everything is always better over the water. This is an article by Tom Sanderson and Josué Seixas
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
🔬 The Debrief as trio of Europe's elite seal Club World Cup progress
More sides punched their knockout ticket at the Club World Cup on Tuesday, while some prestigious clubs are heading home early. Here's what went down. You can sign up to DAZN to watch every FIFA Club World Cup game for free. What happened? 📝 An early Andreas Schjelderup strike saw Benfica beat Bayern Munich 1-0 and pip the German champions to top spot in the group. Advertisement Amateur part-timers Auckland City then came from behind to secure one of the best results in their history in rebounding from 10-0 and 6-0 thrashings in their first two games by claiming a 1-1 draw against Boca Juniors, with both of those sides now exiting the tournament. Flamengo ensured themselves of first place in Group D by responding to LAFC's late go-ahead goal with an instant equaliser in a 1-1 draw, while Chelsea swatted Espérance de Tunis aside 3-0 to join the Brazilians in the last 16. Player of the Day 🔥 Nicolas Jackson's suspension opened the door for Liam Delap to come in and he grabbed his chance with both hands. Advertisement The summer signing's overall performance was impressive and encouraging, capped off by an excellent individual goal. It was a real centre forward showing. Is the Blues' No. 9 curse over? Stat of the Day 📊 Surprising as it may be to believe given their status as European heavyweights but Benfica's win over Bayern Munich was the first in their history. What this means 🤔 The results in both groups mean their respective last 16 showdowns are now set in stone. Benfica's reward for topping the group is a meeting with Chelsea, while Bayern Munich will take on Flamengo. Boca Juniors, Auckland City, Espérance de Tunis and LAFC are all eliminated. What they said 🗣️ "It's just a number, this [No. 9 curse] doesn't mean that much to me! You have to have confidence and belief as a player and I hope this goal is the first of many." Liam Delap, Chelsea Advertisement "I'm from a small town, a long way from here and a lot different to this environment. So it is somewhat of a dream. We don't have a lot of money so this means so much to us." Christian Gray, Auckland City "We can't use the heat as an excuse. Both teams had the same conditions. It was our fault we didn't bring the intensity in the first half. We just weren't quite there." Manuel Neuer, Bayern Munich What's next? 👀 Up first on Wednesday is the conclusion of Group F, with three teams fighting it out for the two qualification places. Borussia Dortmund look best placed to qualify as they face Ulsan, who are bottom and eliminated without a point, which would leave a direct shootout between Fluminense and Mamelodi Sundowns to join them. Advertisement Afterwards, the top two sides in Group E meet, with River Plate and Inter both on four points ahead of the final fixture, while Monterrey are lurking behind them on two points and set to take on Urawa Red Diamonds, who are already out. 📸 FRANCK FIFE - AFP or licensors
