Weber Almeida hasn’t entered an MMA cage since August 2023, however he’s assured a knockout streak within the Karate Fight pit will safe him a shot within the UFC or Dana White’s Contender Sequence.
The 37-year-old Almeida gained 5 of seven underneath the Bellator banner in a span of 4 years, together with 4 knockouts, and has since scored back-to-back stoppages at Karate Fight. A Lyoto Machida protégé, Almeida feels “the pit was made for me,” however doesn’t rule out going again to the cage for one last run.
“I like the group and really feel very snug combating within the pit,” Almeida instructed MMA Combating. “MMA is great, too, however I wish to go after the Karate Fight belt and possibly go to MMA down the road. It might be wonderful to finish my profession with some fights within the UFC, however my focus proper now’s to win the Karate Fight belt.”
Almeida is scheduled to face Jeremy Payet at Friday’s KC 53 in Denver, and doesn’t anticipate his inactivity underneath MMA guidelines to be a problem in the case of convincing UFC matchmakers to offer him a supply.
“I imagine Karate Fight has sufficient energy to place me there, going to Contender Sequence or straight to the UFC,” Almeida stated. “Karate Fight has grown quite a bit by way of viewership. There’s no hanging group with higher numbers proper now. And on the finish of the day, my efficiency is what issues. I’ve to get the job executed in there, and I’ll make it occur.”
Almeida is on the lookout for a giant win Friday to cement his place because the No. 1 contender within the light-weight division, with Karate Fight champion Luiz Rocha and interim titleholder Shahzaib Rind anticipated to fulfill someday this 12 months to unify the belts.
The Shotokan karate specialist follows the “dwell by the sword die, by the sword” mantra in his profession, going the space solely twice in 11 MMA and Karate Fight bouts mixed. Payet is 2-0 with one no-contest underneath the KC banner, and Almeida needs handy him his first knockout defeat within the pit.
“I used to be born to knock folks out,” Almeida stated with fun. “I am going for the knockout from begin to end. I’m not the kind of fighter that fights to attain factors. I am going for the end, Shotokan model. That is my essence. After all, generally you may’t get the end as a result of there’s a fantastic athlete in entrance of you, however that’s all the time the objective. In case you like that sort of adrenaline, watch my fights.”
