Glover Teixeira raised his hand as a serious contender for Jan Blachowicz’s UFC light heavyweight championship by submitting Thiago Santos with a rear-naked choke in the third round on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night’s main event.
“Dana White, come on man, you gonna give this shot to Adesanya and make me wait? 5 fights in a row, beating these young guys is not easy. Give me that title shot,” Teixeira said after the fight.
“I heard him, I agree with him, and I’m taking him serious,” Dana White said later in the evening. “He’s not wrong.”
“Great fight and incredible run by @gloverteixeira. You totally deserve to fight for the title and get taste of the #LegendaryPolishPower.
If Adesanya can’t wait till March, let’s go Fisted hand #UFCVegas13,” Jan Blachowicz tweeted.
Born in Sobrália, Brazil, Teixeira worked in landscaping while starting his training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. John Hackleman invited him to train in MMA with world-renowned fighter Chuck Liddell at The Pit in California and the rest is history.
The UFC signed Teixeira in 2012 and debuted with a first-round submission victory against Kyle Kingsbury at UFC 146 on May 26, 2012. He beat Kingsbury, Fabio Maldonado, Quinton Jackson, James Te Huna and Ryan Bader, which led to a title shot against Jon Jones but he lost via unanimous decision at UFC 172 on April 26, 2014.
Teixeira also competed for organizations like WEC, SF, PFC, Bitetti Combat, Impact FC and Shooto Brazil and he represented the Brazilian National Wrestling. He has now won six of his last seven fights, including five straight against Karl Roberson, Ion Cutelaba, Nikita Krylov, Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos, four by finish.
Born: October 28th, 1979
Age: 41
Country: Brazil
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 205 lbs
Reach: 76″
Stance: Orthodox
Association: Teixeira MMA & Fitness
Class: Light Heavyweight
Record: 32-7
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