Almeida first went pro in MMA back in 2016, winning his debut by first-round TKO. He didn’t make his second and third MMA appearances until 2021, when he won both bouts by TKO. In August of 2023, Almeida won a unanimous decision on season 7 of Dana White’s Contender Series, which earned him a UFC contract with just four professional fights to his name.
Almeida made his Octagon debut at UFC Fight Night: Allen vs Curtis 2 on April 6, when he faced Dylan Budka at the APEX. Almeida bounced back after tough first round, which saw Budka look to control Almeida on the canvas, to knock Budka out in the second frame. It was a great debut for Almeida, who proved that his power and cardio could translate to the UFC level.
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UFC.com spoke with Almeida after his debut victory and he couldn’t have been happier to get on the board in the UFC.
“I feel comfortable because I train every day in MMA now,” Almeida said backstage. “I got good striking, and I can stop the wrestling now.
“The guys feel danger now because the real kickboxing is coming to the UFC.”