Thomas Almeida (born 31 July 1991) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist, who currently competes in the Bantamweight division. A professional competitor since 2011, Almeida formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Legacy FC, where he became the Legacy FC Bantamweight Champion, vacating the title shortly after signing with the UFC.

Thomas Almeida
Born (1991-07-31) 31 July 1991 (age 33)
São Paulo, Brazil
NicknameThominhas
Height5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight135 lb (61 kg; 9.6 st)
DivisionBantamweight
Reach70 in (178 cm)[1]
StyleMuay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Fighting out ofSão Paulo, Brazil
TeamChute Boxe Academy
Xtreme Couture[2]
RankBrown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu[1][3]
Years active2011–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total27
Wins22
By knockout17
By submission4
By decision1
Losses5
By knockout3
By decision2
Websitethomasalmeida.com
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Mixed martial arts career

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Early career

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Almeida made his professional mixed martial arts debut in November 2011. He fought extensively in his native Brazil and amassed a record of 7–0 with four wins via KO before making his Legacy FC debut.[4]

Almeida is managed by Wade Hampel of Big Fight Management.

Legacy Fighting Championship

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Almeida made his Legacy Fighting Championship debut against Cody Williams on 16 November 2012, at Legacy FC 15. Almeida won the fight via KO in the first round.[5]

Almeida faced George Pacurariu on 6 December 2013 at Legacy FC 26.[6] Almeida won the fight via TKO in the first round.[7]

Almeida was expected to face Aaron Philips on 20 June 2014, at Legacy FC 32 for the vacant Legacy FC Bantamweight Championship. However, Philips pulled out of the fight, and he was replaced by Caio Machado.[8] Almeida won the fight via TKO in the first round to win the Legacy FC Bantamweight Championship.[9]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

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In June 2014, the UFC announced that they had signed Almeida to a multi-fight contract.[10]

Almeida made his promotional debut against Tim Gorman on 8 November 2014 at UFC Fight Night 56.[11] Almeida won the fight via unanimous decision, marking the first time ever he didn't finish an opponent in his pro career.[12] The fight also earned him his first Fight of the Night bonus award.[13]

Almeida faced Yves Jabouin on 25 April 2015 at UFC 186.[14] He won the fight via TKO in the first round.[15] This win also secured Almedia his first Performance of the Night bonus award.[16]

Almeida faced Brad Pickett on 11 July 2015 at UFC 189.[17] Despite getting dropped twice in the first round, Almeida won the fight via knockout with a flying knee in the second round and also earned a Performance of the Night bonus.[18][19]

Almeida faced Anthony Birchak on 7 November 2015 at UFC Fight Night 77.[20] He won the fight via knockout in the first round.[21] The win resulted in his third consecutive Performance of the Night bonus.[22]

Almeida faced fellow undefeated prospect Cody Garbrandt on 29 May 2016 at UFC Fight Night 88.[23] Despite being the betting favorite, Almeida had no answer for Garbrandt's hand speed and accuracy and lost the fight via knockout in the first round.[24]

Almeida next faced Albert Morales on 19 November 2016 at UFC Fight Night 100.[25] He won the fight via TKO in the second round and was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus.[26][27]

Almeida faced Jimmie Rivera on 22 July 2017 at UFC on Fox 25.[28] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[29]

Almedia next faced Rob Font on 20 January 2018 at UFC 220.[30] He lost the fight via TKO in the second round.[31]

Almeida was expected to face Marlon Vera on 2 March 2019 at UFC 235.[32] However, Almeida pulled out of the fight on 31 January, citing an injury.[33] It was later revealed that he was experiencing major issues with his vision and required eye surgery.[34] In August 2019, Almeida announced that he hoped to return to action by end of 2019.[35]

Almeida was expected to face Alejandro Pérez on 11 October 2020 at UFC Fight Night 179.[36] However, it was announced on 2 October that Pérez was forced out due to testing positive for COVID-19.[37] He was replaced by Jonathan Martinez and the bout was moved a week later to UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. The Korean Zombie.[38] Almeida lost the fight via unanimous decision.[39]

Almeida faced Sean O'Malley on 27 March 2021 at UFC 260.[40] After being knocked down in the first round, he eventually lost the fight via knockout in the third round.[41]

After the loss, Almeida was announced to be no longer part of the UFC roster.[42]

Post UFC

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Almeida was scheduled to face Taylor Moore in a featherweight bout on 14 September 2024 in the main event at "Art of Scrap 9".[43] For unknown reasons, the bout was postponed to 26 April 2025 at "Art of Scrap 10".

Championships and accomplishments

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Mixed martial arts record

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Professional record breakdown
27 matches 22 wins 5 losses
By knockout 17 3
By submission 4 0
By decision 1 2
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Loss 22–5 Sean O'Malley KO (punch) UFC 260 27 March 2021 3 3:52 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Loss 22–4 Jonathan Martinez Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. The Korean Zombie 18 October 2020 3 5:00 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Featherweight bout.
Loss 22–3 Rob Font TKO (head kick and punches) UFC 220 20 January 2018 2 2:24 Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Loss 22–2 Jimmie Rivera Decision (unanimous) UFC on Fox: Weidman vs. Gastelum 22 July 2017 3 5:00 Uniondale, New York, United States
Win 22–1 Albert Morales TKO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Bader vs. Nogueira 2 19 November 2016 2 1:37 São Paulo, Brazil Performance of the Night.
Loss 21–1 Cody Garbrandt KO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Almeida vs. Garbrandt 29 May 2016 1 2:53 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win 21–0 Anthony Birchak KO (punch) UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson 3 7 November 2015 1 4:24 São Paulo, Brazil Performance of the Night.
Win 20–0 Brad Pickett KO (flying knee) UFC 189 11 July 2015 2 0:29 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Performance of the Night.
Win 19–0 Yves Jabouin TKO (punches) UFC 186 25 April 2015 1 4:18 Montreal, Quebec, Canada Performance of the Night.
Win 18–0 Tim Gorman Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Saint Preux 8 November 2014 3 5:00 Uberlândia, Brazil Fight of the Night.
Win 17–0 Caio Machado TKO (body punch) Legacy FC 32 20 June 2014 1 4:17 Bossier City, Louisiana, United States Won the Legacy FC Bantamweight Championship.
Win 16–0 Vinicius Zani TKO (punches) MMA Super Heroes 3 30 March 2014 4 3:52 São Paulo, Brazil Won the MMA Super Heroes Bantamweight Championship.
Win 15–0 George Pacurariu TKO (punches) Legacy FC 26 6 December 2013 1 4:31 San Antonio, Texas, United States
Win 14–0 Cemir Silva TKO (punches) Standout Fighting Tournament 20 September 2013 2 4:42 São Paulo, Brazil Featherweight bout.
Win 13–0 Willidy Viana TKO (punches) Alfenas Balada Fight 1 9 August 2013 1 0:47 São Paulo, Brazil
Win 12–0 Valdines Silva KO (knee and punches) MMA Super Heroes 1 13 July 2013 1 2:46 Louveira, Brazil
Win 11–0 José Alexandre TKO (punches) Bison FC 1 4 July 2013 1 3:18 São Paulo, Brazil
Win 10–0 Gilmar Sales TKO (punches) Fair Fight: MMA Edition 16 December 2012 1 2:32 São Paulo, Brazil
Win 9–0 Cody Williams KO (elbow) Legacy FC 15 16 November 2012 1 2:28 Houston, Texas, United States Bantamweight debut.
Win 8–0 Vander Correa KO (punch) Predador FC 22 20 October 2012 1 2:21 São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
Win 7–0 Michel Igenho KO (punches) Predador FC 21 11 August 2012 1 3:02 Campo Grande, Brazil
Win 6–0 Samuel Lima Brito Submission (guillotine choke) Gladiador Fight 3 19 May 2012 1 1:32 Araçatuba, Brazil
Win 5–0 Ivonei Pridonik TKO (head kick and punches) Nitrix Champion Fight 11 5 May 2012 1 1:21 Joinville, Brazil
Win 4–0 Edmilson Atanasio TKO (punches) Union Combat 1 4 April 2012 1 1:57 São Paulo, Brazil
Win 3–0 Jorge Fernando Submission (armbar) Gold Fight Selection 3 25 February 2012 1 0:47 São Paulo, Brazil
Win 2–0 Danilo Molina Submission (armbar) Thai Fight 3 29 November 2011 1 2:16 Taboão da Serra, Brazil
Win 1–0 Jackson de Padua Submission (rear-naked choke) Blessed Fight 4 21 May 2011 1 4:03 São Paulo, Brazil

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Thomas Almeida | UFC". UFC.com. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  2. ^ Farah Hannoun (21 August 2019). "Thomas Almeida gives injury update, hopes for end-of-year return". mmajunkie.com.
  3. ^ Peter Carroll (3 November 2015). "Thomas Almeida: Reawaking the Dominance of Chute Boxe". FIGHTLAND.
  4. ^ "Thomas Almeida Fight Results". espn.com. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  5. ^ "Knockout of the Day: The Standing One-Elbow KO". cagepotato.com. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Thomas Almeida meets George Pacurariu in Legacy FC 26 co-main event". mmajunkie.com. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  7. ^ "Legacy FC 26 results: Almeida knocks out Pacurariu, remains undefeated". mmajunkie.com. 7 December 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Caio Machado replaces Aaron Philips in Legacy FC 32 title fight". mmajunkie.com. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  9. ^ "Top bantamweight prospect Thomas de Almeida wins Legacy FC title with a liver shot TKO". bloodyelbow.com. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Undefeated prospect Thomas Almeida signs with UFC". mmafighting.com. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  11. ^ "Thomas Almeida vs Tim Gorman added to UFC Fight Night 56 in Brazil". mmajunkie.com. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  12. ^ "Thomas Almeida tops Tim Gorman in slugfest". mmajunkie.com. 9 November 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  13. ^ a b "UFC Fight Night 56 bonuses: Saint Preux, Leandro Silva, Almeida, Gorman win $50,000". mmajunkie.com. 9 November 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  14. ^ "John Makdessi-Abel Trujillo, Thomas Almeida-Yves Jabouin added to UFC 186". mmajunkie.com. 5 February 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  15. ^ Elias Cepeda (25 April 2015). "Almeida batters Jabouin with first round TKO at UFC 186". foxsports.com. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  16. ^ a b Matt Erickson (26 April 2015). "UFC 186 bonuses: Yeah, duh – Demetrious Johnson got $50,000 for that craziness". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  17. ^ Guilherme Cruz (4 May 2014). "Brad Pickett returns to bantamweight, meets Thomas Almeida at UFC 189". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  18. ^ Steven Marrocco (11 July 2015). "UFC 189 results: Perfect flying knee gives Thomas Almeida sick KO of Brad Pickett". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  19. ^ a b Chuck Mindenhall (12 July 2015). "UFC 189 bonuses: Rory MacDonald and Robbie Lawler's war good enough for FOTN bonus". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  20. ^ Marc Raimondi (9 September 2015). "Thomas Almeida, Anthony Birchak to meet in Sao Paulo". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  21. ^ Steven Marrocco (7 November 2015). "UFC Fight Night 77 results: Thomas Almeida stays perfect, flattens Anthony Birchak". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  22. ^ a b Staff (8 November 2015). "UFC Fight Night 77 bonuses: Who took home $50,000 for their stoppages in São Paulo?". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  23. ^ Hunter A. Homistek (18 March 2016). "Cody Garbrandt vs. Thomas Almeida targeted for UFC Fight Night 88 main event in Las Vegas". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  24. ^ Steven Marrocco (30 May 2016). "UFC Fight Night 88 results: Cody Garbrandt lays waste to Thomas Almeida for first-round KO". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  25. ^ Staff (18 October 2016). "Thomas Almeida vs. Albert Morales set for UFC Fight Night 100 co-main event in Brazil". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  26. ^ Brent Brookhouse (19 November 2016). "UFC Fight Night 100 results: Thomas Almeida crushes Albert Morales for second-round TKO". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  27. ^ a b Tristen Critchfield (19 November 2016). "UFC Fight Night 100 bonuses: Almeida, Ferreira, Antiglov, Munhoz pocket $50K". sherdog.com. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  28. ^ Mark La Monica (9 May 2017). "Jimmie Rivera vs. Thomas Almeida booked for UFC on Fox 25 on Long Island". newsday.com. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  29. ^ "UFC on FOX 25 results: Jimmie Rivera's winning streak at 20 after decision vs. Thomas Almeida". MMAjunkie. 23 July 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  30. ^ DNA, MMA (11 November 2017). "Bantamweightclash tussen Thomas Almeida en Rob Font tijdens UFC 220 in Boston". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  31. ^ Dave Doyle (20 January 2018). "UFC 220 results: Rob Font finishes Thomas Almeida in second round". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  32. ^ Marcel Dorff (10 January 2019). "South American clash between Thomas Almeida and Marlon Vera during UFC 235" (in Dutch). mmadna.nl. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  33. ^ Marcel Dorff (31 January 2019). "Following Holm vs. Ladd now also Thomas Almeida vs. Marlon Vera canceled" (in Dutch). mmadna.nl. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  34. ^ "Thomas Almeida releases statement regarding UFC 235 withdrawal". The Body Lock. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  35. ^ Farah Hannoun (21 August 2019). "Thomas Almeida gives injury update, hopes for end-of-year return". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  36. ^ David Tees (19 August 2020). "Alejandro Perez faces Thomas Almeida at UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen". fightful.com. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  37. ^ Carlos Contreras Legaspi (2 October 2020). "Alejandro Pérez and Thomas Almeida fight postponed in UFC due to COVID-19". milenio.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020. (in Spanish)
  38. ^ Farah Hannoun (8 October 2020). "With Alejandro Perez out, Thomas Almeida now faces Jonathan Martinez at UFC on ESPN+ 38". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  39. ^ Doherty, Dan (17 October 2020). "UFC Fight Island 6 Results: Jonathan Martinez Spoils Return of Thomas Almeida". Cageside Press. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  40. ^ DNA, MMA (3 February 2021). "Sean O'Malley vs. Thomas Almeida geboekt voor UFC 260 op 27 maart". MMA DNA. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  41. ^ Anderson, Jay (27 March 2021). "UFC 260 Results: Sean O'Malley Celebrates Two Knockouts Against Thomas Almeida". Cageside Press. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  42. ^ Cruz, Guilherme (1 October 2021). "Thomas Almeida, three others no longer on UFC roster". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  43. ^ Drake Riggs (22 August 2024). "Morning Report: Ilia Topuria expects first-round KO in 'complete masterpiece' against Max Holloway: 'I'm way better than him' - Fight Announcements". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  44. ^ Mike Bohn (29 November 2014). "MMAjunkie's 'Fight of the Month' for November 2014". MMAjunkie.com.
  45. ^ Mike Bohn (5 August 2015). "MMAjunkie's 'Knockout of the Month' for July: A come-from-behind masterpiece". MMAjunkie.com.
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