In the often unpredictable world of mixed martial arts, fighter perspectives offer invaluable insights into the potential landscape of future title fights. Rising Brazilian flyweight Eduarda Moura, while focused on her own ascent, recently shared a particularly strong conviction regarding the heavyweight division: she firmly believes her teammate, Jailton Almeida, is on an inevitable path to the UFC title, and when he meets interim champion Tom Aspinall, “Malhadinho” will secure the victory via submission.
Almeida`s Inevitable Ascent?
With a mere three years as a professional fighter and already competing on the sport`s biggest stage, Moura understands the journey to a title shot requires patience. However, for her teammate Almeida, a top contender in the heavyweight ranks, she feels the waiting period is nearing its end. Almeida boasts an impressive eight wins in nine UFC outings since his 2022 debut, finishing opponents with consistent regularity. Moura is convinced that after his next bout, which she speculates could be against Alexander Volkov or another high-ranked contender, denying Almeida a shot at the undisputed championship will be impossible.
“There’s nothing else to be done,” Moura stated, expressing her certainty. “He will fight someone now… but the next one you can’t deny him a shot at the belt. There’s nowhere to go. Where else should ‘Malhadinho’ go? He belongs at the top and I truly believe he will get there.” Moura suggests that Almeida himself recognizes this trajectory, allowing him to remain composed without rushing the process – a peculiar position to be in when you`re seemingly just one fight away from the pinnacle.
Moura also weighed in on the speculation surrounding Aspinall`s next opponent, notably dismissing the idea of Ciryl Gane getting another title opportunity given his previous unsuccessful bids against Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. For Moura, the focus remains squarely on Almeida challenging Aspinall.
The Submission Prediction Against Aspinall
Perhaps the most striking part of Moura`s analysis is her prediction for a potential clash between Almeida and Aspinall. While acknowledging Aspinall’s known dangers – his speed and heavy hands – Moura remains steadfast in her belief that Almeida`s grappling will be the deciding factor. She envisions Almeida employing his characteristic takedown strategy early in the fight.
“I think ‘Malhadinho’ takes him down and catches him, for sure,” she confidently predicted. She foresees Almeida becoming the first fighter in a decade to submit Aspinall, a testament to her faith in her teammate`s jiu-jitsu prowess. The thought of watching this high-stakes encounter brings a touch of humor, as Moura added, “I hope he takes him down and catches him quickly so our hearts don’t suffer too much.” It seems even professional fighters get nervous watching their friends compete for the ultimate prize.
Moura believes the time Almeida has before a potential Aspinall clash is beneficial, allowing him to refine his skills and arrive at peak performance for what she considers will be the toughest fight of his career. The belief is clear: Almeida is destined for the top, and his grappling is the key to unlocking it against Aspinall.
Moura`s Own Flyweight Journey
While predicting her teammate`s heavyweight dominance, Moura is also navigating her own career adjustments. Having recently transitioned to the flyweight division (125 lbs), she is no longer fixated on an immediate title run, instead prioritizing stable performance and recovery. The move follows a difficult experience cutting weight at strawweight (115 lbs) for her June 2024 fight against Denise Gomes, where she missed the mark and suffered her first professional loss.
Recounting the ordeal, Moura described the weight cut as “brutal,” leading to illness and sleepless nights that significantly impacted her performance. That experience served as a crucial “learning experience,” prompting her to reconsider her division. Now competing at flyweight, she feels substantially stronger and considers it her “true division.”
Moura is scheduled to face veteran Lauren Murphy in her next outing at UFC Nashville. She respects Murphy`s experience and expected calmness but anticipates her own grappling will ultimately overwhelm her opponent, leading to her second victory as a flyweight.
Division Perspectives: Strawweight vs. Flyweight
Reflecting further on her division change, Moura offered an interesting comparison between the top contenders at 115 lbs and 125 lbs. Despite Valentina Shevchenko`s formidable reputation at flyweight, Moura admitted she was more apprehensive about facing strawweight champion Weili Zhang.
“I’m a big fan of Weili Zhang,” Moura stated, calling her someone she always thought would be the “toughest fight in the world.” This respect for Zhang solidified her feeling that strawweight presented a unique challenge. While acknowledging Shevchenko`s toughness, Moura confessed to trusting “Weili Zhang’s potential more,” considering the Chinese champion “a badass” and someone she would be “more apprehensive of fighting… in a title fight than Shevchenko.”
Jokingly addressing the possibility of Zhang moving up to flyweight for a superfight, Moura lightheartedly hoped Weili would “stay quiet down there.” However, she acknowledged the reality of the fight game: “But if she comes, there’s nothing we can do. We’ll have to do what we do. I hope to be ready when I get there.”
Eduarda Moura`s insights paint a clear picture: confidence in her teammate`s heavyweight destiny via submission against Aspinall and a newfound comfort and strategic approach to her own career path in the flyweight division, free from the struggles of extreme weight cuts and perhaps, ironically, facing opponents she perceives as less intimidating than the strawweight powerhouse she left behind.
Marcus Blakely