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Glover Teixeira sends a warning to UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya.
Glover Teixeira has sent a warning to Israel Adesanya ahead of ‘The Last Stylebender’s’ move up to light heavyweight, claiming that the ‘pressure is different’ at 205 pounds.
Teixeira, who is making final preparations for his headlining bout with Thiago Santos at UFC Fight Night 182, acknowledges that Adesanya is a supremely talented fighter but says the reigning UFC middleweight champion could be in for a shock when he moves up to light heavyweight to take on Jan Blachowicz for the title.
“He’s good and would get to the top, for sure,” Teixeira said of Adesanya in a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz. “He’s good as hell, good athlete, good fighter, super intelligent, and for sure would get to the top, but the weight [difference], everything counts. I know that because I train with heavyweights, and it’s hard. The fatigue, the pressure is different.”
Adesanya is excited about his move up to light heavyweight but says he won’t be bulking up and gaining any serious muscle.
“Yeah, sure, you want to put on size? Alright. Is your body used to being that heavy? Are you used to moving around that heavy with the work-rate you were doing with all your previous fights? Yeah, I just don’t play the game like everyone else. I’ll just chill, I’ll stay me. I’m gonna get stronger, I always do, but I’m not gonna purposely put on muscle just so I can be at a weight class. Stupid.”
No date has been announced for Adesanya’s light heavyweight debut but expect an official announcement in the coming weeks.
Teixeira, meanwhile, will take on Santos at UFC Vegas 13 on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.