Former top-10 UFC heavyweight Jailton Almeida has broken his silence following his surprising release from the promotion on February 12, sharing an optimistic message on Instagram.
"It's time to think about new challenges, to chase new dreams," Almeida wrote. "It's going to be that way — there'll be news very soon. I'll be back on the scene again."
Almeida (22-5) was ranked No. 8 at heavyweight when the UFC cut him following back-to-back decision losses to Alexander Volkov at UFC 321 and Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Vegas 113. He had not exhausted his contract, with the promotion electing to release him early.
The 34-year-old Brazilian went 8-3 in the UFC with seven finishes in eight wins, including stoppages of Derrick Lewis, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Serghei Spivac. However, criticism of his grappling-heavy style had mounted, and UFC CEO Dana White publicly stated after the Volkov loss that he was pleased Almeida didn't receive the decision.
Fan speculation has already linked Almeida to PFL, where his elite BJJ credentials and 20 career submission wins could thrive. Based on his message, it appears fans won't be waiting long for an announcement.