"I bet Jon Jones is scared” - Fans react to MMA fighter with Down Syndrome beating UFC heavyweight via submission at Demo Fight 18

UFC heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida may be unbeaten in the promotion, but he recently suffered a submission defeat to Alvaro Borges at Demo Fight 18.

Borges, an MMA fighter with Down Syndrome, faced off against Almeida in an exhibition event held in Brazil on Jan. 27.

Highlights from the fight were uploaded to X by MMA Mania, which showcased 'Malhadinho' securing takedowns on multiple occasions before being swept by his opponent.

Almeida was eventually submitted via arm triangle.

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Watch the fight highlights below:

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Fans were elated by the footage of Almeida participating in such an event, with one fan suggesting that current UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is afraid of Alvaro Borges. @bmetz131 wrote this:

"I bet Jon Jones is scared of Alvaro too."

See the post below:

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See some of the fan reactions below:

"Damn guess I gotta bet the house on Blaydes now in their next fight (i'm joking)"

"Wholesome content, love to see it."

"Need more of this content. Great job Alvaro"

"That better go on his tapology page"

"Finally, a fight where Jailton didn’t Teep kick to double leg. In all seriousness a lovely gesture from the guy. Given how negative MMA Twitter seems to be recently we need more stuff like this."

"I had it 49-48 Almeida based on the footage."

"He could easily beat dildo danis"

Screenshot of fan reactions to Jailton Almeida's MMA match with Alvaro Borges

Conor McGregor is currently the most tested fighter in the UFC

Conor McGregor is currently tied in the UFC for the most tested athlete on the roster, according to a recent post on X by Jed. I Goodman.

'The Notorious' is yet to return to the octagon since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. But McGregor's recent test history should provide fans with some hope that the Irishman will make a return sooner rather than later.

According to Goodman, the promotion's new anti-doping database has been updated. He wrote this:

"The new Anti-Doping Test History database now has updates for 2024. Conor McGregor and Taylor Laplius both show 2 test sessions this year. 59 other fighters show 1 test session for this year."

See the post below:

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The promotion parted ways with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) at the end of 2023 and will now work with Drug Free Sport going forward.

About the author

Liam is a MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda. His journey into MMA journalism began with a high school diploma in 2017, but his passion for writing led him to diverse experiences, including internships in research and writing roles and accounting work.

Liam's fascination with MMA was sparked by Conor McGregor, with Dustin Poirier's bout against Dan Hooker in 2020 sealing his love for the sport. Poirier remains Liam's favorite fighter, whom he admires for his attitude, fighting style, and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

Liam strives to report precise and relevant information by cross-checking his work, reaching out to relevant sources for comments, and adhering to Sportskeeda's guidelines. His work has been recognized on popular MMA platforms, with his article headlines featuring in YouTube recaps and appearing onscreen during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Outside of work, Liam enjoys playing cricket, practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu, cooking, music, and reading.

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Edited by C. Naik