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Glover Teixeira vs. Jiri Prochazka will go down as one of the greatest title fights in UFC history. For five rounds, each man surged forward to steal the momentum from the other in a brutal brawl that left both men battered. Ultimately, however, it was Prochazka who left the cage with the Light Heavyweight title thanks to a last-second rear naked choke.
In a fight that back-and-forth, there are definitely a lot of elements to consider in what decided the victor. After all, both men nearly stopped the other numerous times, so this title fight especially was a game of inched and small details. Speaking with Combate, the former 205-pound kingpin revealed that the weight cut may have played a role in his defeat. He mentioned it briefly in the post-fight interview before humbly acknowledging Prochazka instead, but the details are worse than most likely expected.
Prior to his five-round war, Teixeira grew ill and started vomiting.
“Even though it was nine-thirty at night, I cut the weight at 3:00 in the afternoon and stayed until nine-thirty at night without drinking water, without anything,” Teixeira explained (via SportsKeeda). “And then when I started to recover, I started to vomit, I started to vomit … I felt like vomiting, I couldn’t do the interview after the weigh-in and that got in the way, got in the way in the fifth round there. I always talk to my students, ‘The weight cut will get in your way, if it’s a tough five-round fight, it will get in your way’ And it got in the way. I think that was it … I’ve never had a recovery like this.”
The fifth round was certainly a strange one. The Brazilian started so well, badly stunning his opponent with punches, gaining top position, and nearly finishing his foe with an arm triangle. After that submission failed, however, Teixeira just seemed fully spent and wound up strangled himself.
Is the weight cut to blame? Teixeira made it clear that one way or another, Prochazka deserves credit for handling his own camp and weight cut in a more effective fashion.
“The fight was brutal, I got tired, as I told you, I don’t want to blame my camp, I can do the fight again, and I can get tired again. I want you to expose this part, I want to take away all responsibility, because the camp is everything, if I didn’t lose the weight right, he did better than me, you know? If I didn’t lose the weight properly, it was my fault, that’s what I’m talking about, that I have to adjust, so it was totally my fault. I might be blaming it on the weight. I’m blaming the weight, but I’m taking responsibility for myself, understand?”
Teixeira has expressed interest in an immediate rematch, but Prochazka has also drummed up some drama with Jan Blachowicz. It remains to be seen which direction the promotion goes next with the Light Heavyweight title.
Insomnia
Isn’t this how everyone reacts when meeting “The Czech Samurai?”
The Best Photo of Your Day! pic.twitter.com/xHe7y3fDjS
— Bruno Massami (????? ???????) (@BrMassami) June 14, 2022
Floyd Mayweather talks about his issues with modern day boxing:
Floyd Mayweather with a speech about the number of belts and sanctioning fees in boxing: “We’re watering the sport down, everybody is champion now. We have to clean the sport of boxing up.”
[ @RIZIN_PR] pic.twitter.com/Z5ZcBN08ap
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) June 14, 2022
Some technical analysis of Matt Brown’s underrated clinch wrestling!
Why is Kamaru Usman’s team trying to talk him into fights and boxing matches that will cost him brain cells? Defending the Welterweight title isn’t the same payout as getting creamed by Canelo, but still …
I just rewatched the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, I believe @USMAN84kg will beat Jiri, Jan and Glover.
Not talking trash, but this is real
— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) June 14, 2022
If this fight is booked, it largely confirms rumors that TJ Dillashaw is next-in-line for a shot at Bantamweight gold.
This just in: https://t.co/D5uTXZPkRi pic.twitter.com/3JP4zT0Qzn
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 14, 2022
Ireland’s top Welterweight prospect returns to action in July.
Signed for #UFC276!
Undefeated @IanGarryMMA heads to Las Vegas to face @GiftedGabeGreen pic.twitter.com/xcAofvXhh5
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) June 14, 2022
This Featherweight statistic is actually pretty wild, but both Josh Emmett and Calvin Katter will be swinging for the finish.
Odds on this weekend’s main event going the distance is -130 on @FanDuelCanada.
In the last three years, only one current top-10 featherweight has lost a fight inside the distance. pic.twitter.com/piFAqw0B7s
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 14, 2022
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Old boxing highlights will always have a place in this column.
Carlos Ortiz, one of the very greatest lightweights and one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers of all time, has died aged 85. The greatest Puerto Rican fighter of all time, the two-time unified world champ at 135lbs AND 140lbs. Just look at him in full flow. pic.twitter.com/Y69a66YdLj
— Combat Chronicles (@C0mbatChr) June 14, 2022
I don’t know how to caption this clip, but it raises many questions.
Low kicks really ruin boxing, which is why MMA overall has taken a long time to develop those skills. It’s really hard to jab when the lead leg is getting crushed!
Random Land
Multi-surface sending!
Midnight Music: Alternative rock, 1998
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.