Glover Teixeira Reportedly Set to Fight Jiri Prochazka in Light Heavyweight Championship Rematch

Glover Teixeira is heading to the Octagon in December…

The UFC has added a light heavyweight championship rematch between the 42-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and Jiri Prochazka  to its December pay-per-view event in Las Vegas.

Glover TeixeiraContracts haven’t been signed, but multiple sources confirmed the bout is close to being finalized.

It will take place at UFC 282 on December 10 inside T-Mobile Arena. The UFC has not announced whether it will serve as the main event.

Prochazka (29-3-1) won the title by submitting Teixeira in the fifth round of a back-and-forth fight at UFC 275 in June. Fighting out of Czech Republic, Prochazka has been perfect since signing with the UFC in 2020. He has recorded three consecutive finishes against Teixeira, Dominick Reyes and Volkan Oezdemir.

Teixeira (33-8) has strung together some of the best performances of his career at age 42. He upset Jan Blachowicz for the UFC title in October 2021, before surrendering the belt in his first attempted defense. Before that loss, the Brazilian had not tasted defeat since 2018.

The first meeting between Prochazka and Teixeira is considered one of the most entertaining fights of the year. Ironically, it was Prochazka who was adamant about an immediate rematch, as he felt he did not give his best performance despite the late finish.

UFC 282 also features a high-profile light heavyweight bout between Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev.

The news of the bout being added to UFC 282 was first reported by The Underground.

Glover Teixeira to Defend UFC Light Heavyweight Title Against Jiri Prochazka

Glover Teixeira is going on the defensive…

The 42-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and UFC light heavyweight champion will defend his title against Jiri Prochazka on May 7, according to ESPN sources.

Glover TeixeiraBoth Teixeira and Prochazka have committed to the date and opponent.

The 205-pound title fight will take place on a UFC 274 pay-per-view event. The UFC has not announced an official venue for the event.

Teixeira (33-7) capped off an improbable run to the UFC title in October, when he submitted Jan Blachowicz at UFC 267 to capture a belt at age 42. The victory came more than seven years after Teixeira came up short in his first title bid against Jon Jones in 2014. 

Originally from Brazil, now fighting out of Connecticut, Teixeira has won six in a row, including finishes of Blachowicz, Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith.

Prochazka (28-3-1) has been a dark horse in the 205-pound division ever since signing with the UFC in 2020. He’s fought only twice inside the Octagon, but he’s been supremely impressive in finishes of Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes.

Prochazka, of Czech Republic, has recorded 10 consecutive knockout finishes.

Glover Teixeira Becomes Oldest First-Time Champion in UFC History

Glover Teixeira has accomplished what many thought impossible.

The 42-year-old Brazilian-American mixed martial artist defeated Jan Blachowicz via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:02 of the second round to win the UFC light heavyweight title on Saturday in the main event of UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi.

Glover Teixeira

Teixeira was a +210 underdog, per Caesars Sportsbook.

At 42 years old, Teixeira is the oldest first-time champion in UFC history and the second-oldest fighter to win a UFC title, behind only Randy Couture.

Teixeira joins Couture and Daniel Cormier as only the third UFC fighter to win a title at age 40 or older.

The 14 UFC fights between Teixeira’s title loss to Jon Jones at UFC 172 on April 26, 2014, and Saturday, were the most between title shots in the same division in UFC history.

“Never give up on your dreams,” Teixeira said in his postfight interview. “No matter what people say, don’t listen to them. They’re gonna put you down. Don’t listen to those negative people. Believe in yourself.”

Teixeira took down Blachowicz in the first round and basically kept him there for the duration. In the second round, Blachowicz had success with his boxing. But Teixeira wobbled him with a left hook and then took him down again. This time, Teixeira was able to get mount, then take Blachowicz’s back and lock in the choke. “I’m breaking the rules — 42 years old,” Teixeira said. “I’m gonna keep breaking those rules.”

ESPN has Blachowicz ranked No. 5 in the world on its pound-for-pound MMA list. At light heavyweight, ESPN has Blachowicz ranked No. 1 and Teixeira at No. 2.

Teixeira (33-7) has won six straight and seven of his past eight, most recently before this weekend a third-round submission win over Thiago Santos in November 2020.

The Brazil native has 28 finishes in 33 career victories. Teixeira, a Connecticut resident, has been considered one of the top light heavyweights in the world for more than a decade, an incredible stretch of consistency and quality.

He has the most finishes (13) and submission victories (7) in UFC light heavyweight history. Teixeira’s 16 UFC light heavyweight wins are second most next to Jones (20).

“Glover Teixeira is and has been one of the toughest guys in the division for a very long time, this was his dream forever to get this title shot,” UFC president Dana White said. “He finally gets it and did it tonight.”

On Saturday, Teixeira said he would be returning to his childhood town of Sobralia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, with the UFC gold. “I told you guys I’m coming home with the belt,” Teixeira said. “And I am. The promise is done.”

“This guy never gave up,” White said. “All the adversity that he’s faced in his career and here at 42 years old, a few days after his birthday, he wins the title. It’s a pretty cool story. Couldn’t happen to a better guy, too.”

Glover Teixeira Submits Thiago Santos in UFC Fight Night Event

Glover Teixeira continues his winning ways…

The 41-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist submitted Thiago Santos via rear-naked choke at 1:49 of the third round on Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas.

Glover Teixeira,

Santos rocked Teixeira in the first round and put Teixeira in big trouble to start the third. But Teixeira, as he has done time and time again, persevered and found the finish.

The victory puts Teixeira, six years following his most recent title shot, close to another chance at the 205-pound belt. ESPN had Santos ranked No. 4 and Teixeira No. 6 in the world at light heavyweight coming in.

Dana White, man,” Teixeira said, referring to the UFC president, in his post-fight interview. “Come on, man. I’m an old man. I’m here. You’ve gotta give me a shot. … It’s not easy. Give me that title shot, man. Either way, I’m so happy to be here.”

The UFC’s plan is to have light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz fight middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in a superfight next year. Blachowicz has said he’d prefer to fight in March and Adesanya told ESPN past week that his expectation is that Blachowicz will be his next opponent.

White didn’t back off Blachowicz vs. Adesanya as the plan, but he said he’s listening to Teixeira, too.

“I heard him and I agree with him and I’m taking him serious,” White told the UFC’s Laura Sanko in a backstage interview Saturday. “I’m not gonna doubt him anymore.

“He’s not wrong. … He’s been here forever, he’s on a streak. He looked great tonight. What’s funny is every time I count this guy out and think, ‘I don’t know if he’s got it,’ he proves me wrong. He looked incredible tonight.”

Teixeira (32-7) has won five straight. He lives and trains in Connecticut, and fought longtime former champion Jon Jones for the title way back at UFC 172 in April 2014. Teixeira is 10-4 since then and has been considered one of the best light heavyweights in the world now for the better part of a decade. Teixeira cashed as a +200 underdog.

In UFC light heavyweight history, Teixeira is now tied for second in victories (15) and is first in finishes (12).

Dominick Reyes In Talks to Fight Jiri Prochazka in a February UFC Fight Night Event

Dominick Reyes is thisclose to a headline fight…

The UFC is working on a light heavyweight fight between 30-year-old Mexican American mixed martial artist and Jiri Prochazka in February, according to UFC president Dana White.

Dominick Reyes

White tells ESPN the 205-pound contest will headline a UFC Fight Night on February 27. The UFC hasn’t yet announced an official venue for any of its events in 2021.

Reyes (12-2) nearly won the light heavyweight title twice this year. He came up just short in a decision loss to then-champion Jon Jones at UFC 247 in February in a five-round bout many felt Reyes won.

Reyes was granted another title shot after Jones vacated the belt this summer but suffered a TKO loss Jan Blachowicz.

Prochazka (27-3-1), a native of the Czech Republic, made a spectacular UFC debut in July on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, knocking out former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir in the second round at UFC 251. It was the 24th win by knockout in Prochazka’s professional career.

Dominick Reyes to Fight for Jon Jones’ Recently Vacated UFC Light Heavyweight Title

Dominick Reyes will be fighting for a title next month…

The 30-year-old Mexican American professional mixed martial artist will face off against Jan Blachowicz for the UFC light heavyweight title vacated by longtime champion Jon Jones.

Dominick Reyes

A bout between Reyes and Blachowicz had already been set for UFC 253 on September 26. But the UFC made it official: the two top contenders will be going for the vacant light heavyweight title.

Reyes (12-1), ranked No. 3 in the world by ESPN among light heavyweight fighters, is coming off a controversial, unanimous-decision loss to Jones at UFC 247 in February. It was a bout many thought the California native should’ve won on the scorecards.

Blachowicz (26-8) has won three straight, the most recent a first-round knockout of Corey Anderson in February. The 37-year-old is ranked No. 4 by ESPN at light heavyweight.

This will mark only the second time that the UFC light heavyweight title will not be in a card’s main event. The first was Daniel Cormier‘s title defense against Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 220 on Jan. 21, 2018.

UFC 253 will be headlined by a middleweight fight between champion Israel Adesanya and challenger Paulo Costa.

Jones had held the light heavyweight belt off and on since 2011 and never lost it in the cage. The champion expressed his intent to move up to heavyweight.