Jailton Malhadinho will fight a Russian opponent at UFC Vegas 113 in February, according to a journalist.

Jailton Malhadinho entered the top 5 of the heavyweights (Photo: Instagram)

PUBLICITY:

Jailton Malhadinho already has a date and opponent set for his return to the octagon. According to journalist Léo Walker Guimarães, the Brazilian heavyweight (up to 120,2 kg) will face Russian Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Vegas 113, scheduled for February 7th in Las Vegas (USA).

According to reports, the Brazilian fighter renewed his contract with the UFC after agreeing to replace Ryan Spann at the last minute, a factor that weighed positively in the negotiation with the organization. Malhadinho will have the chance to remain in the spotlight in the heavyweight division against the Russian.

CORRECTION*

EXCLUSIVE: Jailton Malhadinho faces Rizvan Kuniev on February 7th at UFC Vegas 113. The Bahia native renewed his contract after agreeing to replace Ryan Spann at the last minute.

For those who thought Malhadinho would be fired… pic.twitter.com/4w1XbqGDjM

— Léo Walker Guimaraes (@leoguimaraesmma) January 20, 2026

See too

VIDEO: Brawl! Malhadinho hones his striking skills with Carlos Boi in intense training; watch

Jailton Malhadinho resurfaces and challenges top 10 fighter for UFC London.

UFC Ranking: Ian Garry leaves Carlos Prates behind and reaches the top of the welterweight division.

It's worth remembering that, on December 5th, Jailton had expressed interest in returning at UFC London , an event scheduled for March 21st. At the time, the Brazilian reacted to a UFC post confirming the English edition and made himself available to fight against Marcin Tybura or Mick Parkin.

Currently ranked sixth in the heavyweight division, Malhadinho's last fight was at UFC 321 in October 2025, when he lost to Alexander Volkov.

Jailton Malhadinho in MMA

Jailton Malhadinho has been part of the UFC roster since 2022, after standing out in Dana White's Contender Series. In September 2021, the Brazilian defeated Nasrudin Nasrudinov with a rear-naked choke in the second round and secured a contract with the organization.

His Ultimate debut took place in February 2022, at UFC Fight Night 200 in Las Vegas, when he knocked out Danilo Marques in the first round. Since then, Malhadinho has established himself as one of the most dangerous names in the division.

In his professional career, the heavyweight has a record of 22 wins and four losses. Besides the UFC, he has also fought for organizations such as Shooto Brazil, Thunder Fight, Future MMA, Katana Fight, Imperium MMA Pro, Premier Fight League, among others.

Exclusive: Michael PQD talks about his brutal UFC debut victory.