UFC 267: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi:
The UFC now has it’s 14th light heavyweight champion. And in it, has the 2nd oldest champion at the age of 42-years old and two days. With Glover Teixeira upsetting Jan Blachowicz, it’s safe to say; Glover shocks the world. The Danbury Connecticut native knew his second crack at the title would most likely be his last. He also predicted a second-round submission, then went out and did it.
Teixeira, in his 40th pro-fight laid the ground work (pardon the pun), by being on the ground. Taking the 38-year old Pole down early in the opening roundlet Blachowicz know he was in for a fight. There he grinded him for the remainder of the round.
There was a little back-and-forth in the second stanza, where both fighters stung each other. But along the cage, once again it was Teixeira bringing the fight to the mat thanks to a single-leg takedown. Once on the ground, he worked to back control and flattened the champion out and locked in a rear-naked-choke. Without a lot of fighting, due to the squeeze, Blachowicz tapped at 3:02.
UNDISPUTED CHAMP AT 42 YEARS OLD!!!! ?
— UFC (@ufc) October 30, 2021
[ #UFC267 | @VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/yyxWjAqexp
And that started an outpouring of love for the long time brides-made of the UFC’s glamour division. Some being:
Inspirational to say the least , congratulations @gloverteixeira #UFC267
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) October 30, 2021
That is awesome to see @gloverteixeira get the strap.
— Justin Gaethje ?? (@Justin_Gaethje) October 30, 2021
The @gloverteixeira story trumps the Rocky story all day. I’m still in awe, what an impressive performance. 20 years of commitment to a dream coming to fruition, unreal. Congratulations champ!!!!! #ufc267
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) October 30, 2021
Congratulations champ @gloverteixeira just amazing to see ???? #UFC267
— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) October 30, 2021
Glover Shocks The World
We won’t know completely why and how the fight turned out the way it did. Blachowicz knew where Teixeira wanted to take the fight. Was there an issue getting “warm” in the back, was Teixeira just stronger than he assumed on the ground. But, in talking with Daniel Cormier, Blachowicz said this is not the end, and he’d be back. But the fact is, despite the power in both hands, he IS 38. The former double-champ spoke with the new holder of the 205 strap and he said:
“Never give up on your dreams, no matter what people say, don’t listen to them. They gonna put you down, don’t listen to those negative people. Believe in yourself and keep going forward”.
Immediately after the fight, former UFC title challenger, Corey Anderson has remained tight lipped. Recently, he and Blachowicz have gone toe-to-toe on social media about who’s the best light heavyweight in MMA. Anderson, himself is once again on the verge of becoming a champion in Bellator, when he fights Vadim Nemkov in early 2022.
Anderson has split two fights with Blachowicz, and holds a unanimous decision win over Teixeira. So in theory whoever walks away with the belt in that fight, can make a solid claim for that position. But as far as the UFC and Teixeira goes, next up may very well be the fighter who was the back up here; Jiri Prochazka. And that might very well make Teixeira a stop gap champion. The Czech fighter is younger, faster, and has more dynamite in his hands than Blachowicz. It’s way too soon to throw any Jon Jones comparisons around, however; out of 28 wins, 25 are by knockout. And he’s on a 12-fight win streak. Although he’s yet to be tested against a cunning veteran like Teixeira.
