Jailton Almeida believes three rounds is better for Curtis Blaydes, eyes an interim title shot against Tom Aspinall in Brazil with a win

Jailton Almeida is glad he got rebooked against Curtis Blaydes but is disappointed the fight is only three rounds.

Almeida and Blaydes were supposed to headline UFC Sao Paulo last November, but an injury to the American knocked him out of the fight. Almeida went on to dominate Derrick Lewis and then got rebooked against Blaydes at UFC 299 in Miami, which he was happy about. However, the Brazilian wishes it was five rounds as he feels like a twenty-five-minute contest favored him.

“Nothing changes at all, he is the same fighter,” Almeida said to BJPENN.com. “So the camp was the same too… This changes a lot, mainly because I think I have the gas tank for 10 rounds, and Blaydes in other fights gasses out in the champ rounds, so, I think three rounds is better for him, but the result will be the same at the end, I will leave as the winner.”

Heading into this fight at UFC 299 against Curtis Blaydes, Jailton Almeida believes he can have success on the feet and on the ground. He thinks no matter where the fight ends up he will be able to dominate Blaydes and likely finish him to get the biggest win of his career.

“Everyone knows what is my game, but no one knows how many ways I have to put my game to work, it will be the same as usual, same mentality… Like we said here in our state. Bahia is punch to the head and maul on the ground,” Almeida added.

If Jailton Almeida does finish Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299 on Saturday, he hopes he can face Tom Aspinall for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 301 in Brazil in May.

“I hope I can take a title shot against Tom Aspinall after this fight. The champ already said the winner will be next, I’ll be on a 16-fight winning streak, and 8-0 in the UFC. So I think I deserve the title fight. Maybe in Brazil, 301? I’m in. Maybe in Manchester? I’m in too… I can fight in 2 months against Aspinall, after Pereira was scheduled to fight at 300, everybody is saying don’t have anyone to headline this card. So, what is better than the heavyweight title of the world? Nothing. Let’s do it,” Almeida concluded.