Jailton Almeida represents a microcosm of differences between BKFC and UFC, per ex-Almeida foe

Jailton Almeida has been receiving flak as of late by some fighters and fans alike regarding his combative methodology and a former opponent of Almeida’s has weighed in on the subject. The fighter in question is Parker Porter who spoke on this topic ahead of his fight with Anthony Garrett, who steps in for Josh Copeland, in the headliner of BKFC Fight Night Mohegan Sun on December 20th.

Some of the recent discourse around the Brazilian heavyweight ramped up even more after his inauspicious performance in his Alexander Volkov fight which saw Almeida lose on points at UFC 321. Prior to that, comments Daniel Cormier made while on a hot mic picked up traction as DC posited that Almeida did not have a comprehensive, well-rounded fighting style.

When asking the ex-UFC heavyweight his thoughts on some of the recent commentary some have been engaging in regarding the fighting approach of Almeida, Porter said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

“Well, I think that’s more just the difference between something like the BKFC versus the UFC. Like MMA as a whole, there’s so many more ways to to win a fight. Being an elite level grappler is a great way to put pressure on somebody and secure a win without taking too much damage. Whereas you don’t really have that option as much unless you have great striking defense and head movement in the BKFC.”

“To the average spectator, unless you have a grappling background or knowledge base, it’s not as entertaining to watch. So, I think that’s part of the reason that people get into it is like, you know, everybody that’s a deep rooted MMA fan and has some grappling knowledge can really appreciate the fast-paced wrestling and the good control and the domination, especially when somebody’s being active.”

“I think the reason that people are saying that it’s not as entertaining with Jailton and he’s not as well rounded is because he’s got a system that works and he keeps plugging it away and it’s not always super active. He puts pressure on you, he climbs, he finds his submission and then he snipes you out with that submission.”

“To the average person, they want to see the big knockouts. They want to see the crazy, explosive ground and pound. Where you don’t see too much ground and pound even out of Jailton, even though he’s as skilled with his top pressure as he is. Because he’s always looking for the finish with a submission.”

Jailton Almeida is “heavy” and he’s “got great pressure”, per Porter

When addressing the benefits of training even at a hobbyist level in terms of understanding the X’s and O’s of what Almeida is truly doing out there in the octagon, Porter stated [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

“Yeah, to be able to appreciate it you have to have experienced it a little bit. Whereas to be able to appreciate the striking component of mixed martial arts or the BKFC, it’s a lot more visual. You see a big punch or you see somebody land a clean shot and you see that guy’s face like rattle around or his head snap back, you don’t need to have been punched to know that that did some damage or how fatiguing it is to get punched or be on the defensive.”

“Whereas with the grappling side of things, even just defending and just without seeing anything that looks like a significant amount of activity, you know from the experience of your own training sessions or even competitions that even just the subtlest movements are draining.”

“There’s so much pressure and tension going on there and you’re just exhausting yourself. Grappling cardio is just a totally different animal. If you’ve never experienced it, you wouldn’t be able to appreciate the way that these guys are implementing it at that level.”

When it was jokingly mentioned that Almeida has to feel like a sentient boulder being on top of you, Porter quipped [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

“He’s heavy, man. He’s got great pressure. Hats off to him.”