SUMMARY
- On January 27, Jailton Almeida competed at a charity event at Demo Fight 18 against Alvaro Borges, a fighter with Down syndrome.
- Following the event, fans also took to social media to check out the highlights of the matchup.
Although there were no UFC fights this weekend, heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida was still in action. Making an earlier return than his expected fight at UFC 299, Almeida took on Alvaro Borges, a fighter with Down syndrome. In what was a rather enjoyable affair, fans witnessed the heartwarming side of MMA.
For those unaware, ‘Malhadinho‘ recently competed at a charity event at Demo Fight 18 on January 27. Taking place at the CT de Boxe e Artes Marciais in Salvador, Brazil, the fight saw Almeida go toe to toe with Borges. When all was said and done, Borges emerged as the victorious fighter after an impressive performance.
Alvaro Borges, an athlete with Down syndrome defeated Jailton Almeida via decision tonight at Demo Fight 18 pic.twitter.com/DW39Ca3ntG
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) January 28, 2024
Naturally, the fight was in good faith and for an altruistic reason. After all, Demo Fight founder Demistocles Brito tends to book these special matches out of love for an autistic nephew of his. As such, the key purpose behind these matchups is to promote inclusivity within the sport. Owing to their conditions, it is difficult for fighters like Alvaro to truly follow their passion.
With that said initiatives such as this look to give these fighters the opportunity of a lifetime. Following the event, fans also took to social media to check out the highlights of the matchup. At the same time, Almeida also took to social media to congratulate Alvaro for his win during their playful contest. Notably, the UFC heavyweight will next be in action against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299 in Miami, Florida.
What do we know about Alvaro Borges?
All things considered, Alvaro Borges has piqued the attention of MMA fans after his playful win over Jailton Almeida. Although there is limited information available about him, Borges does his best to share his life on social media. For one, his full name is Alvaro Borges Neto, and he hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil. A lifelong MMA fan, Borges is in fact a very talented person.
Previously, Alvaro acquired his Jiu-Jitsu black belt from Team Passos Jiu-Jitsu in Sterling, Virginia. Other than that, he is said to be associated with the Curio Gold Team and competes as a middleweight. Interestingly, he has only one professional fight on his record, a submission loss to Adriano Freitas at Mega Fight Sao Paulo (Mega Fight 3). However, it must be noted that this fight took place all the way back in 2006.
Thus, it is assumed that Borges has competed in other competitions, such as the one at Demo Fight 18. Other than that, Alvaro is also a talented musician and can play numerous instruments. Additionally, he is said to be in a long-term relationship with Mylena Mendonça, whom he hails as his fiancée and wife.
As for his performance against Almeida, Borges showed exemplary skill in reversing positions numerous times. Notably, Borges ended the fight in Round 2 after reversing positions and locking up Almeida with an armbar. Following his victory, Alvaro was celebrated with a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) replica belt around his waist. Thus, fans are already anticipating and hoping to see him fight next.