Glover Teixeira earned his 20th straight win at UFC Fight Night 28. In doing so, he may have set himself up for a shot at the winner of a UFC 165 championship bout between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson.
Although he got clipped by Ryan Bader …
Glover Teixeira earned his 20th straight win at UFC Fight Night 28. In doing so, he may have set himself up for a shot at the winner of a UFC 165 championship bout between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson.
Although he got clipped by Ryan Bader a few times on Wednesday, Teixeira dug in and answered with a heavy shot while backed up against the fence in the first round. Teixeira is without a win over a top-10 light heavyweight, but he’s one of the few fresh challengers remaining for Jones.
If Gustafsson upsets Jones later this month, Teixeira may still have some work to do, but the fact that the Brazilian is a new face in the race for a light heavyweight title shot makes him an intriguing opponent for the current champion.
Here are the fights that should be next for Teixeira and the rest of the UFC Fight Night 28 competitors.
This writer was among the many who thought Yushin Okami should be favored in his fight against Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. Then Okami came out tentative, slow and unwilling to engage. That is a recipe for disaster when it comes to a talent like…
This writer was among the many who thought YushinOkami should be favored in his fight against Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. Then Okami came out tentative, slow and unwilling to engage. That is a recipe for disaster when it comes to a talent like Souza, and that became obvious when Okami had his head punched into the stands by the mammoth Brazilian.
In spite of the poor effort, Okami is one of the few names at 185 pounds that has endured over the last five years. That makes this a major win for Souza, no matter which way it gets sliced.
The question, obviously, becomes “what is next for Souza?”
While many are already, perhaps rightly, calling for a title shot, that is a bit premature right now. Souza may or may not have the raw skill to take the belt, but the line for the 185-pound strap is very defined right now.
Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva face off in one of the most hotly anticipated rematches in MMA history at UFC 168 on December 28. After that, we will likely see VitorBelfort square off with the winner, assuming he gets past Dan Henderson at UFC Fight Night 32 (in spite of the fact the fight is at light heavyweight, a loss would likely be enough of a hit to separate him from a title shot yet again). Realistically, that ties the belt up until July 2014 at the very earliest.
That means Souza has time for, at the very least, one more fight. The top of the middleweight division is in something of a disarray right now, making any definitive matchups impossible to pick, but there are still a few options for the sudden star.
The most obvious next step for Souza is the winner of Michael Bisping vs. Mark Munoz.
Bisping‘s harsh knockout loss to Belfort in January is still fresh in many minds. However, the British kickboxer remains one of the most popular fighters in the UFC, and probably the most in-demand opponent in the sport. A win over Bisping would be Souza, more or less, showing he is the next generation of contender at 185 pounds.
Munoz, like Bisping, is still reeling from a harsh knockout loss (for Munoz, that would be his loss to Weidman). However, he bounced back in much more emphatic fashion with his three-round demolition of Tim Boetsch. He lacks Bisping‘s fame, but should he beat the Brit this October, he will wind up with a higher level of celebrity and more to offer Souza as an opponent.
Bisping vs. Munoz isn’t the only intriguing middleweight fight lined up in the future, though. The upcoming bout between former light heavyweight champion LyotoMachida and Strikeforce import Tim Kennedy is an intriguing fight.
A fight with Machida, who trains with Souza, is unlikely given the general reluctance for Black House members to face one another. However, should Kennedy pull off the upset, it would be a compelling rematch of 2010’s Strikeforce middleweight title bout (Souza won via unanimous decision) and would be an excellent top-contender bout.
All that said, should Silva retake his belt, it may put Souza‘s title hopes on the shelf. “The Spider” and Souza are Black House teammates, and the Brazilian camp’s members tend to avoid each other in the cage.
Still, between Bisping, Munoz and Kennedy, there are intriguing matchups for him.
Glover Teixeira sent a message to the rest of the UFC by knocking out Ryan Bader in the first round on Wednesday night in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
That message? Teixeira is for real.
UFC Fight Night 28 was a short one for Bader. He fell to 15-4 in …
Glover Teixeira sent a message to the rest of the UFC by knocking out Ryan Bader in the first round on Wednesday night in BeloHorizonte, Brazil.
That message? Teixeira is for real.
UFC Fight Night 28 was a short one for Bader. He fell to 15-4 in his career after being knocked out, but the story was all about the victor and what his win means moving forward.
Teixeira has now won 20 consecutive fights, including three this year. He improved to 22-2 in his career, and it was the 13th time that he won via knockout.
Bader was the toughest opponent Teixeira has ever faced, so the result is even more impressive.
Teixeira’s aggressive style helped him earn the knockout, as he took control of the middle of the Octagon from the beginning. However, Bader was ready for it and actually looked like he might be able to stay with his opponent.
He tried to take down Teixeira early on but was unsuccessful. The fighters did end up on the ground after Teixeira countered with his own takedown. Bader landed a punch with his right hand shortly after the two got on their feet, but that was the 30-year-old’s last chance in this fight.
It was a strong comeback by Teixeira. The 6’2″ fighter was stunned by Bader‘s aggressive tactics, but he didn’t back down. Rather, he adjusted to his opponent. The two started exchanging blows, and he was able to send Bader to the mat. From there, it was just a matter of time before the fight ended, which it did at 2:55.
The result earned high praise from UFC president Dana White:
Wednesday’s fight was a chance for Teixeira to send a message to the rest of the UFC. And since he doesn’t have much experience with the organization, he knew he was going to need to be impressive. He improved to 5-0 in UFC fights since he first fought in May of 2012.
Yes, he briefly looked like he might get knocked out. The way he responded to Bader‘s attacks, though, showed that he doesn’t get shaken and proved that he will be able to fight against tough opponents.
Now the 33-year-old is waiting to see if he gets a chance to fight for the UFC light heavyweight championship. The win put him in line to face the winner of Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson. That fight will be on Saturday, Sept. 21.
Teixeira did what he had to in the fight. He was challenged by a worthy opponent, and he was able to extend his winning streak. By knocking out Bader, he told the rest of the UFC that he is for real.
Now that Teixeira has made a statement, his next goal will be to win the belt.
The UFC made a successful return to Brazil on Wednesday night for the promotion’s third Fight Night event on Fox Sports 1.
The UFC Fight Night 28 card was headlined by a light-heavyweight scrap between surging contender Glover Teixeira and former …
The UFC made a successful return to Brazil on Wednesday night for the promotion’s third Fight Night event on Fox Sports 1.
The UFC Fight Night 28 card was headlined by a light-heavyweight scrap between surging contender Glover Teixeira and former The Ultimate Fighter winner Ryan Bader.
The Brazilian, despite being rocked in the opening round, battled back to finish Bader with strikes in the first frame, earning himself the next shot at the belt in the process.
While Teixeira’s fate is pretty much decided, let’s take a look at what’s next for Wednesday night’s main card winners.
Our decision to only liveblog the UFC Fight Night 28 matches that we cared about turned out to be a wise choice. Though last night’s supporting card had its moments — particularly Piotr Hallmann’s comeback submission win over Francisco Trinaldo, and the Fight of the Night-winning battle between Rafael Natal and Tor Troeng — the UFC’s latest trip to Belo Horizonte didn’t turn into a terrifying orgy of violence until the last three bouts, which all ended the exact same way: A stiff knockdown, some nasty ground-and-pound, and an impressive first-round TKO for the favorite. Let’s start at the top and work our way down.
Of the three first-round maulings on the main card, only Glover Teixeira faced real adversity on his way to victory. During his main event fight against Ryan Bader, the Brazilian light-heavyweight phenom had to collect his bearings after getting wobbled in a striking exchange. Bader smelled blood and tried to go in for the kill, but his aggression turned out to be his undoing. As Bader swarmed with punches, Teixeira tucked his chin and landed a cross/hook combo that sent Bader to the mat. Teixeira followed with shots from above, and that’s all it took to secure his 20th consecutive victory (!) and a $50,000 Knockout of the Night bonus.
After the fight, it was confirmed that Teixeira (now 5-0 in the UFC) would receive the next light-heavyweight title shot against the winner of Jon Jones vs. Aexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 later this month. His performance last night might not have impressed everyone — rumor has it that Teixeira was recovering from a bad weight cut — but anybody with that kind of power and resilience is always a threat.
The second-biggest story of night had to be Ronaldo Souza‘s official arrival as an elite UFC middleweight. Since his Strikeforce title-fight loss to Luke Ruckhold two years ago, “Jacare” has sliced through lower-level competition (Bristol Marunde, Derek Brunson, Ed Herman, Chris Camozzi) with relative ease. Finally, he got a chance to prove himself against a longtime UFC contender, and he rose to the occasion, crushing Yushin Okami with an overhand right midway through the first round. Yes, Ronaldo Souza has “fallen in love with his hands,” so to speak. But unlike other jiu-jitsu aces like Demian Maia who have tried to re-invent themselves as strikers, Souza hasn’t looked the least bit uncomfortable turning his recent bouts into kickboxing matches. He’s as natural at striking as he is at grappling, and that’s a terrifying thought for the rest of the UFC’s 185-pounders. Jacare has chewed his way to the top of the middleweight food chain, and the possibilities in front of him are endless.
Our decision to only liveblog the UFC Fight Night 28 matches that we cared about turned out to be a wise choice. Though last night’s supporting card had its moments — particularly Piotr Hallmann’s comeback submission win over Francisco Trinaldo, and the Fight of the Night-winning battle between Rafael Natal and Tor Troeng — the UFC’s latest trip to Belo Horizonte didn’t turn into a terrifying orgy of violence until the last three bouts, which all ended the exact same way: A stiff knockdown, some nasty ground-and-pound, and an impressive first-round TKO for the favorite. Let’s start at the top and work our way down.
Of the three first-round maulings on the main card, only Glover Teixeira faced real adversity on his way to victory. During his main event fight against Ryan Bader, the Brazilian light-heavyweight phenom had to collect his bearings after getting wobbled in a striking exchange. Bader smelled blood and tried to go in for the kill, but his aggression turned out to be his undoing. As Bader swarmed with punches, Teixeira tucked his chin and landed a cross/hook combo that sent Bader to the mat. Teixeira followed with shots from above, and that’s all it took to secure his 20th consecutive victory (!) and a $50,000 Knockout of the Night bonus.
After the fight, it was confirmed that Teixeira (now 5-0 in the UFC) would receive the next light-heavyweight title shot against the winner of Jon Jones vs. Aexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 later this month. His performance last night might not have impressed everyone — rumor has it that Teixeira was recovering from a bad weight cut — but anybody with that kind of power and resilience is always a threat.
The second-biggest story of night had to be Ronaldo Souza‘s official arrival as an elite UFC middleweight. Since his Strikeforce title-fight loss to Luke Ruckhold two years ago, “Jacare” has sliced through lower-level competition (Bristol Marunde, Derek Brunson, Ed Herman, Chris Camozzi) with relative ease. Finally, he got a chance to prove himself against a longtime UFC contender, and he rose to the occasion, crushing Yushin Okami with an overhand right midway through the first round. Yes, Ronaldo Souza has “fallen in love with his hands,” so to speak. But unlike other jiu-jitsu aces like Demian Maia who have tried to re-invent themselves as strikers, Souza hasn’t looked the least bit uncomfortable turning his recent bouts into kickboxing matches. He’s as natural at striking as he is at grappling, and that’s a terrifying thought for the rest of the UFC’s 185-pounders. Jacare has chewed his way to the top of the middleweight food chain, and the possibilities in front of him are endless.
Meanwhile in the flyweight division, Joseph Benavidez looked every bit the 6-1 favorite he was going into his fight against Jussier “Formiga” Da Silva, who simply didn’t show up for this one. Benavidez was the aggressor from the opening bell, measuring his opponent with strikes, sticking-and-moving, tagging Formiga at will, while Formiga could only throw game counter-punches, hitting air most of the time. When a punch combination from Benavidez dazed Formiga, the Team Alpha Male standout immediately seized the moment, stuffing a knee into the Brazilian’s ribs, and adding another hook for good measure as he crumpled to the mat. Once on the ground, Benavidez buried Formiga in ground-and-pound until the ref intervened. With three straight wins since his flyweight title-fight loss to Demetrious Johnson last September, is it time for Johnson vs. Benavidez 2? Fun fact: Team Alpha Male has gone 17-0 since Duane Ludwig’s arrival as coach, proving once again that marijuana does in fact help you study better.
UFC Fight Night 28 Quick Results:
FOX SPORTS 1 MAIN CARD
Glover Teixeira def. Ryan Bader via TKO, 2:55 of round 1
Ronaldo Souza def. Yushin Okami via TKO, 2:47 of round 1
Joseph Benavidez def. Jussier Formiga via TKO, 3:07 of round 1
Piotr Hallmann def. Francisco Trinaldo via submission (kimura), 3:50 of round 2
Rafael Natal def. Tor Troeng via unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-28)
Ali Bagautinov def. Marcos Vinicius via TKO, 3:28 of round 3
FOX SPORTS 1 PRELIMS
Kevin Souza def. Felipe Arantes via split-decision (29-28 x 2, 28-29)
Lucas Martins def. Ramiro “Junior” Hernandez via technical submission (rear-naked choke), 1:10 of round 1
Elias Silverio def. Joao Zeferino via unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-28)
Ivan Jorge def. Keith Wisniewski via unanimous decision (29-28 x 2, 30-27)
FACEBOOK PRELIM
Sean Spencer def. Yuri Villefort via split-decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
BONUSES ($50,000 each):
– Fight of the Night: Rafael Natal vs. Tor Troeng
– Knockout of the Night: Glover Teixeira
– Submission of the Night: Piotr Hallmann
UFC Fight Night 28 was a mild success.
After a rough start to Wednesday evening, the main card stepped it up. More specifically, the final three bouts delivered in a big way. We got three excellent finishes from three fighters ranked in the top five. N…
After a rough start to Wednesday evening, the main card stepped it up. More specifically, the final three bouts delivered in a big way. We got three excellent finishes from three fighters ranked in the top five. Nothing to complain about there.
After a seven-day period of three fight cards, UFC Fight Night 28 definitely comes in last.
Here is your post-fight stock report following UFC Fight Night 28.
Glover Teixeira sent a message to the rest of the UFC by knocking out Ryan