Tonight at UFC Fight Night 28, two of the UFC’s most powerful light heavyweight fighters do battle, as former NCAA wrestling star Ryan Bader faces Glover Teixeira, the most hyped prospect in the 205-pound division, in a matchup that is sure to excite fans. This piece will break down both fighters, as well as where the fight will likely be won and lost.
Ryan Bader
Bader, a former college wrestling standout, has been a longtime staple of the UFC’s light heavyweight division. Before his UFC debut in 2008, Bader had made his way around the regional fight scene, racking up a record of 7-0 before being selected as a cast member on Season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter. During his stint in the TUF House, Bader looked amazing, submitting Kyle Kingsbury in his first outing, knocking out Tom Lawlor with brutal ground and pound, then finally dominating Elliot Marshall to secure his place on the show’s Finale.
On December 13, 2008, Ryan Bader made his official UFC debut, as he fought ADCC champion Vinny Magalhaes for the Ultimate Fighter Season 8 crown, and from the get go Bader dominated. He looked far more versed as a mixed martial artist than Magalhaes, and in the first round he used his devastating power to score a technical knockout.
Bader’s first non-TUF fight was against Carmelo Marrero, in a bout where he earned a unanimous decision. He then dominated Eric Schafer. At UFC 110, Bader was given his big break, as Joe Silva matched him with the ever-popular “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine, and after a dominant two rounds for Bader, he managed to score a beautiful knockout in the third, which really cemented his status as a future divisional star.
Following his highlight reel knockout of Jardine, Bader faced Antonio Rogerio Noguiera and again impressed en route to a decision victory. However, this bout would be the last of his unbeaten streak, as in his next 2 bouts he was submitted, first by Jon Jones at UFC 126, and then by Tito Ortiz at UFC 132.
After his two-fight skid, Bader came back more well-rounded and eager to prove the naysayers wrong, and he proved just how talented he is by knocking out Jason Brilz in 77 seconds, and giving Quinton “Rampage” Jackson a beating in the Saitama Super Arena at UFC 144. But it wasn’t all good for Bader, as after his bout with Rampage he faced former champion Lyoto Machida, and suffered his first knockout loss. After Machida, he bounced back with a first round finish of Vladimir Matyushenko, which brings us to tonight, where he is slated to face Glover Teixeira.
Skillswise, Bader’s wrestling is on another level compared to most of the UFC’s 205-pound fighters, and he excels in using his punches to set up opportunities to land his patented double leg takedown. On the feet, Bader isn’t the most technical, but he is blessed with one punch knockout power.
The path to victory for Bader is to employ a game plan similar to Randy Couture‘s against Gabriel Gonzaga, and push Teixeira against the cage in order to use dirty boxing and grind out a decision.
Glover Teixeira
Glover is a longtime member of the highly-regarded Pit fight team, and has long been mentored by head coach John Hackleman, who was the coach of UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell. In recent years, Teixeira has traveled and trained with different teams, including Black House and American Top Team, but throughout his career, his dedication to Hackleman has been a constant.
Glover Teixeira initially made a name for himself in the World Extreme Cagefighting cage, amassing a record of 3-1 inside the promotion before visa issues ended his tenure, forcing Teixeira to leave the country and fight elsewhere. It was during this exile, though, that Teixeira cemented his name as a prospect, as in his first 18 bouts he scored 11 knockouts, and this really got the attention of the UFC.
Teixeira’s visa issues halted him for a number of years, and even though the UFC wanted to sign the fighter, they decided against it due to legal issues. This was a frustrating period for Glover, one in which he focused on his competitive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu exploits more, while continuing to score knockouts on the regional scene.
On May 26, 2012 at UFC 146, the Brazilian’s dreams came true, as his resolved visa issues led to him debuting in the UFC against Kyle Kingsbury. In this bout he really proved his hype to be justified, as he ran through Kingsbury like a knife through butter. Following his dominant performance, a subset of MMA fans hoped that Glover would be fast-tracked to a title shot, but the UFC took the long road, deciding to test Teixeira against notable Brazilian boxer Fabio Maldonado at UFC 153, and after he put a beating on the boxer for three rounds, the UFC decided it was time to give him a big name opponent, setting up a fight between him and Rampage Jackson.
At UFC on FOX 6 against Quinton Jackson, Teixeira showcased his entire set of skills, dominating the former champion in every aspect of the fight, and after that he fought once more, against James Te Huna. This was another test which he passed with flying colours, as he secured an early submission victory, That win set up tonight’s main event, and many believe that a victory for Texeira will result in him getting a title shot in his next outing.
Skillswise, Teixeira is exemplary in all facets — his grappling is world class, and his striking is technical and powerful He also has good wrestling, which he has used on both Kyle Kingsbury and James Te Huna before submitting them.
Keys for victory for Glover are to try to stay out of Bader’s clinch and work his boxing game.
The Verdict
Call me naive, but I believe the hype. I see Glover making a statement tonight and finishing Ryan Bader in the second round.
**********
• Glover Teixeira vs. Ryan Bader
Click the stars to rate your anticipation for this fight.
**********
UFC Fight Night 28: Teixeira vs. Bader is due to take place on September 4, 2013 at the Estadio Jornalista Felipe Drumond in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC Fight Night 28 will be.
