Reforging the Edge: How prospect Thomas Almeida learns from fight to fight

When Thomas Almeida and Cody Garbandt meet in the main event of UFC Fight Night 88 in Las Vegas, they will do so as two of the most exciting prospects in one of MMA’s most exciting divisions. Almeida in particular has earned the reputation. Over the course of four and a half years, “Tominhas” has compiled a record of 21 wins without a single loss. All but two of those wins came via finish, and 16 of those finishes occurred in the very first round.

As Almeida climbs the bantamweight ranks, his competition becomes more experienced, and more dangerous. No longer fighting on the Brazilian regional circuit, Almeida has already learned a few hard lessons. Wrestler Tim Gorman proved a surprisingly difficult test in Almeida’s UFC debut, changing the landscape of Almeida’s face with a stiff jab even as the Brazilian ran ahead on the scorecards. In July of 2015, veteran bruiser Brad Pickett floored Almeida twice before succumbing to his power in the second round.

Thomas Almeida had a tough time with Brad Pickett – Photo by Joe Camporeale|USA Today Sports

Fighter development is a nebulous thing. We often think of fighters as commodities, objects that can be deliberately molded and changed over time. The influence of a good team and smart matchmaking cannot be discounted, but the truth is that fighters are human beings, possessing all the flaws and shortcomings inherent to our kind.

LEARNING LESSONS

A truly promising prospect is a double-edged sword. Most of the best prospects end up dominating their opponents as they make their run to the elite. Then, once they’ve arrived, they are faced with the uncomfortable reality that such tactics won’t work all the time against the new class of opponent.

This is the reason behind the so-called “prospect loss.” If a young fighter is properly tested, this kind of defeat is a virtual inevitability. Sage Northcutt enjoyed a string of quick and easy finishes before he was submitted by the durable and crafty Bryan Barberena. Alexander Gustafsson was a young knockout artist with a rapidly improving grappling game when he learned the risks of rolling with a superior wrestler in Phil Davis. Even the great Georges St-Pierre succumbed to the veteran savvy of Matt Hughes, after dominating the rest of the welterweight division so thoroughly that he was rushed into a title shot.

Typically these are valuable lessons for the losers. St-Pierre returned to become the greatest fighter in the history of MMA. Gustafsson went on to establish himself as a top light heavyweight and twice brushed fingertips with the belt. And Northcutt committed to training full-time at Tristar MMA after falling to Barberena–working with one of the best teams on the planet, he will almost certainly employ a more measured approach in his next fight.

Thomas Almeida got lucky. His first big test was the fight with Pickett, and he managed to claw his way back from the brink after being staggered …

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