combat

Almeida submits Rozenstruik at UFC Fight Night

Jailton Almeida caps off a day of highlight finishes at UFC Fight Night in Charlotte with first round submission.

Jailton Almeida secured an impressive win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik via first round submission in the main event at UFC Fight Night in Charlotte, N.C. on Saturday.

Almeida weighed in at 34 pounds lighter than Rozenstruik, but that didn’t seem to be a factor for Almeida. Despite his first takedown getting stuffed, Almeida went right back at Rozenstruik with a double leg takedown that took him to the canvas. Rozenstruik looked uncomfortable and out of place while on the ground and Almeida took advantage of it. Almeida took the back of Rozenstruik and submitted him via rear-naked choke.

Almeida earned his fifth straight finish and fourth finish inside the first round. Almeida will enter the top-10 of UFC heavyweights, and has his eyes set on No. 6 heavyweight Tai Tuivasa.

In the co-main event Johnny Walker secured the biggest win of his career against Anthony Smith via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27). Walker entered the UFC and made a quick name for himself back in 2018. After rattling off three straight wins, he lost four of his next five fights. After Saturday, everything seems to be back on track for Walker. 

Walker chipped away at Smith, the No. 5 light heavyweight, with a methodical approach through three rounds. Walker’s ability to land leg kicks to the lead leg of Smith made him compromised and changed the dynamic of the fight. By the third round, Smith was lethargic in his approach and Walker capitalized off that. With this win, Walker enters the top-5 in the UFC light heavyweight division.

Unranked contender Ian Garry did something that nobody has ever done to Daniel Rodriguez in the UFC. Garry landed a leg kick that landed flush to the head of Rodriguez, wobbling him. Garry followed up with a flurry of punches that led the referee to step in and stop the fight. Prior to this fight, nobody had knocked out Rodriguez inside a UFC octagon. Gary now enters the top-15 of UFC welterweights.

Matt “The Immortal” Brown lived up to his moniker on Saturday. The 42-year-old UFC veteran saw a combination come his way from Court McGee, but he was ready for it and delivered a one-punch overhand right that sent McGee to the canvas. The walk-off knockout was Brown’s 13th, which ties him with Derrick Lewis for the most knockouts in UFC history. 

Bryan Battle, a Charlotte, N.C., native only needed 14 seconds to hear the roar of his hometown. Gabe Green charged at Battle as the round started and the two quickly began to exchange punches in the pocket. Green landed on Battle, but Battle countered with a right hook that buckled Green. Battle’s knockout is now the sixth fastest knockout in UFC history.