We have seen hype surround a new talent who steps onto the biggest stage in mixed martial arts, and we’ve seen it quite often. More times than we can count, our expectations were raised for the newest big thing to enter the Octagon, only to be let down in the long run. In a lot of ways, Glover Teixeira bore the stigma of so many failed hypes who entered the UFC before him. However, the Brazilian import hasn’t let anyone down to this point. And after watching his UFC 153 performance, it’s hard not to wonder how far this fighter can go.
Mainstream fans may have heard the name “Glover Teixeira” before his UFC debut at UFC 146, because the organization had been trying to get him onto its roster for a number of years. Unfortunately, he has had visa issues that kept him out of the United States. Once that situation was handled, however, the organization snatched him up before any other group could get their hands on him. Two fights into his UFC career, the Nova Uniao athlete has proven that he was worth the hype that preceded him.
At 32 years of age and with a 19-2 record, it is hard to call Teixeira a “prospect.” Before joining the “big leagues,” he had competed against and defeated a few other former UFC athletes in Ricco Rodriguez, Marvin Eastman, and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. While these names are far from the top of the ladder in the light heavyweight division, he has still been very impressive against his opposition to this point in his career. Since his last defeat, which was to Ed Herman in 2005, Glover has won 17 straight fights. Of those 17, only one bout has gone the distance. All the others have been finished in some fashion, 11 have been by some form of knockout, while five have come by submission. This is quite the record to maintain in MMA, and it is the reason that so many people have had their eyes on this individual for such a long period of time.
At UFC 153, Glover delivered one of the worst beatings in recent Octagon memory. Even though Fabio Maldonado was able to survive long enough to hurt him towards the end of the first round, Teixeira didn’t waste any time in the second round, as he slammed Maldonado to the ground and doled out so much punishment that the doctor was forced to stop the bout between the second and third rounds. With that stoppage win, statements like that of Chuck Liddell — who has gone on record in saying that Glover is better than even Jon Jones — became justified. It is now time for the UFC to capitalize on this hype train, and place him in the position that many hardcore fans want to see him in.
The UFC’s 205-pound division is full of former champions and big name contenders that Jones has already run over. Quinton Jackson, who was originally slated to face him at UFC 153, has already come out and said that he wants to fight Teixeira next, and UFC President Dana White seems to like that idea. If that doesn’t happen, they should tap Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, or even a fighter who has not yet been defeated by Jones, Phil Davis (as previously suggested here). Put this bout in a main event or co-main event spot on Fox, and the UFC will have created a major contender for Jones, should he still be champion at that point. Besides Alexander Gustafsson, the light heavyweight division doesn’t have any true challengers that fans would be interested in seeing, and now is the time to build someone up to put into that position. We’ve been told that Chael Sonnen is the next challenger to Jones’s title, but to overlook fighters such as Teixeira is a business matter more than a sports matter.
UFC 153 was truly a coming out show for Glover Teixeira, as he pounded his opponent mercilessly. With excitement about him growing, it is time for the UFC to use the buzz around him to develop the contender at 205 pounds that the organization desperately needs.
