MMA Preview – Curtis Blaydes vs Jailton Almeida at UFC 299
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CURTIS BLAYDES VS JAILTON ALMEIDA FACTS
When is UFC 299? Sunday 10th March, 2024 - 01:00 (UK)
Where is UFC 299? Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC 299? Click here to buy tickets for UFC 299
What channel is UFC 299 on? TNT Sports 2
Where can I stream UFC 299? TNT Sports subscribers can stream the fight online via the TNT Sports website and Discovery+
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
CURTIS BLAYDES VS JAILTON ALMEIDA LOWDOWN
Curtis Blaydes’ (17-4(1)) last couple outings have not been plain sailing. He was coming off a classic unanimous decision over Jairzinho Rozenstruik (2021) and ‘Performance of the Night’ TKO over Chris Daukaus (2022). He then made it three in a row but only because Tom Aspinall (2022) blew his knee out in 15 seconds. He eventually returned nearly a year later to take on Sergei Pavlovich (2023) only to get violently put to sleep for the fourth time in his career.
Jailton Almeida (20-2) is fresh off three fights last year. He mauled and TKO’d Shamil Abdurakhimov and then submitted Rozenstruik to earn his second ‘Performance of the Night’ in a row. He then met Derrick Lewis and was not as clinical grinding out a unanimous decision, but it is the only decision in his incredible 15-fight win streak.
CURTIS BLAYDES VS JAILTON ALMEIDA PREDICTION
It would be fascinating to see these two tangle as Blaydes is one of the best wrestlers in the division and Almeida arguably has the best jiu-jitsu.
Blaydes will be bigger and heavier, but Almeida is more explosive and dynamic. Blaydes has the experience and has only lost to knockout artists. Almeida will be dangerous on the feet especially with his front kick before shooting in, but he does not have the knockout power of Francis Ngannou, Lewis and Pavlovich.
Blaydes fancies himself as a striker and will have the confidence of out striking the Brazilian. We can see a lot of this fight playing out on the feet, but the difference will come down to the grappling.
Almeida is used to out grappling opponents who are a lot heavier than him, but he has not fought someone with the wrestling of Blaydes. That said, Blaydes has neglected his wrestling in recent fights, and we have not seen him off his back and defending jiu-jitsu as lethal as Almeida’s.
If Blaydes remembers what got him to the dance and makes this as boring as possible, he can nullify the weapons of the Brazilian. However, we can see his new reliance in his striking making him a target for a takedown with Almeida’s power taking him by surprise.
Prediction: Almeida via Decision
Value bet: Blaydes to win
