Glover Teixeira may not have gotten the stoppage victory that he wanted, but at UFC on Fox 6, the Brazilian outstruck Quinton “Rampage” Jackson for three rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory.
Some might suggest that Teixeira lacked the killer instinct necessary to finish Rampage, who was hurt in several instances. Instead of following his wobbled foe, Teixeira opted to stay conservative and wait for the next engagement instead of charging in on the PRIDE veteran.
Jackson was able to score shots on his opponent, although, the chin of Glover was just as solid as his dangerous right hands.
After fights against Kyle Kingsbury and Fabio Maldonado, this was Teixeira’s first UFC matchup against a former member of the division’s elite.
Say what you will about Rampage Jackson’s declining skills over the year, but anyone who saw his fight against Jon Jones knows that the A-Team star is as dangerous as it gets when he shows up motivated.
On Saturday night, Rampage was certainly in shape, but simply not good enough to stop the rising star of Teixeira.
Now that he has a UFC win against a former champion, as well as a 3-0 record in the world’s biggest fighting organization, what lies ahead for Glover Teixeira?
Last year, some suggested that Teixeira should be given the fast track to a title shot. That is absolutely the wrong move for a guy who is three fights into his UFC career and has no victories over a Top 5 opponent.
Not to mention that with the recent challenge from Daniel Cormier—as well as a potential title eliminator between Lyoto Machida and Dan Henderson on the horizon—there is no doubt that Glover is not the next man in line.
Perhaps the best matchup for Teixeira comes in the form of fellow UFC on Fox 6 fighter Ryan Bader. The Ultimate Fighter winner scored a fantastic submission victory earlier in the night and has largely been a member of the division’s Top 10 for the past two years.
Bader has dynamite in his hands, similar to Teixeira, but also possesses an incredible wrestling pedigree that could dictate the bout’s location.
However, Bader called out Shogun Rua post-fight, and could likely get his wish.
Another option for Teixeira would be the winner of Rashad Evans vs. Lil Nog at UFC 156. Whoever comes out on top of that contest is a Top 5 fighter, and would undeniably be a title contender in their own right.
Despite the heavy discussion of Evans as a potential opponent for Anderson Silva‘s middleweight championship, it is unlikely that “Suga” will leave the light heavyweight division. Anyone who listened to the UFC 156 pre-fight teleconference heard the former champion express little interest in making the drop.
So who is the best potential opponent for Glover Teixeira?
Phil Davis.
Davis is an elite wrestler with long limbs and a tendency to score impressive submission victories. Despite a devastating loss to Rashad Evans in 2012, the light heavyweight is a ranked fighter who will force Teixeira to show off his takedown defense or fight off of his back.
Currently, Phil is involved in a Twitter feud with Vinny Magalhaes which could potentially lead to a fight later this year. However, that fight has little upside for Davis. With some quality career advice, it is easy to see that a fight against Teixeira will do more for his career.
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