Jailton Almeida continued his rapid rise in the UFC heavyweight division Saturday by making quick work of top-10 contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
Almeida submitted Rozenstruik with a rear-naked choke at the 3:43 mark of the first round in the UFC Charlotte main event.
The Brazilian secured a takedown 30 seconds into the fight - his first headlining opportunity in the UFC - and controlled Rozenstruik for three minutes. Then, he advanced to full mount and landed ground-and-pound before sinking in the submission and forcing a tap from Rozenstruik.
"Everybody said (Rozenstruik) was one of the most dangerous guys in the division, that he was going to knock me out," Almeida, who was a heavy betting favorite, said in his postfight interview. "All he did was slap me a couple times.
"When I come down with the pressure, nobody can get me," he added.
One of the best heavyweight up-and-comers in recent years, Almeida is closing in on title contention after barreling through the No. 9-ranked Rozenstruik. He made his Octagon debut in February 2022 and is now 5-0 in the UFC. All of his wins have been finishes, including four in the first round. He has absorbed just two significant strikes in his UFC career so far.
The 31-year-old has the most stoppage victories in the promotion since the start of last year. He is also tied with welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov for the second-longest active UFC finish streak, just behind heavyweight Sergei Pavlovich (six).
Almeida suggested Tai Tuivasa as a potential next opponent.
"I want another challenge," he said.
Rozenstruik came into Saturday's main event on the heels of a 23-second knockout win over Chris Daukaus last December, but he's now 1-3 in his last four appearances.
In the co-main event, light heavyweight Johnny Walker earned the biggest win of his career, taking a unanimous decision over former title challenger Anthony Smith.
