Glover Teixeira is the next Brazilian hope.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Brazilian brawler meets Ryan Bader on Wednesday in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and a big win at UFC Fight Night 28 could earn him a shot at the UFC belt.
Jon Jones, the current champion, puts his title on the line against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 on Sept. 21, but none of them can match Teixeira’s talent, according to former UFC champion and training partner Lyoto Machida.
“I believe Glover is the next champion,” Machida told MMAFighting.com. “I don’t see anyone in the light heavyweight division to stop Glover Teixeira. Not even Jon Jones.”
Teixeira made his UFC debut on May 2012, and has defeated four opponents in one year. He has finished 15 of his 21 wins in the first round, and Machida guarantees he’s ready to fight five rounds.
“We train together for a long time,” he said. “To do well against him, you really, really need to know what you’re doing. He’s too strong for this division. He’s a heavyweight, and he’s durable. He will hurt you for five rounds.”