UFC: Never give up on your dreams, says Glover Teixeira

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Glover Teixeira nailed Jan Blachowicz through a submission move in front of more than 10,000 fans in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena. (Supplied photo)

Abu Dhabi - Teixeira also brought an end to Polish champ Błachowicz's five-fight win streak

Ashwani Kumar

Published: Tue 2 Nov 2021, 12:39 AM

Glover Teixeira has again proved that age is just a number. The Brazilian-American, who turned 42 on Thursday, has become the oldest first-time champion in UFC history.

In the main event of UFC 267, Teixeira, the light heavyweight contender, nailed Jan Blachowicz, the reigning champion, through a submission move, in front of more than 10,000 fans in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena.

“Twenty years, baby. I have no words to describe. I’m breaking the rules — 42 years old — and I’m going to keep breaking those rules.”

In the first round, Teixeira, to his credit, took 38-year-old Błachowicz down easily and held positional control. In the next round, after a feisty stand-up, Teixeira floored Błachowicz and locked a rear-naked choke to become the second oldest UFC champion after Randy Couture won the title at the age of 43.

“This is my house. I look at the blood (inside the octagon). I look at everything here, I have been here before. I love this.”

Teixeira also brought an end to Polish champ Błachowicz’s five-fight win streak.

“Never give up on your dreams. No matter what people say, don’t listen to them, they are going to put you down, don’t listen to those negative people. Believe in yourself, keep going forward,” Teixeira added.

UFC president Dana White praised Teixeira’s inspiring outing and named it the ‘Performance of the Night’. “He never gave up despite all the adversaries he has faced in his career and here, 42 years old, a few days after his birthday, he wins the title. It’s a pretty cool story.”

In the co-main event, Petr Yan prevailed over Cory Sandhagen to become the interim-title holder after a non-stop action-packed five rounds.

The bantamweights gave it all with a flurry of punches, take-downs, kicks, grappling and counters, and by the end had the fans on their feet. The encounter bagged the ‘Fight of the Night’ award and White later said: “This was one of those fights, you don’t want to see anybody lose.”

Yan, the Russian fighter, praised his American opponent’s performance and noted that he is ready for the title clash. “Everyone knows I am the real champion. I am here to fight anyone. It’s either going to be TJ Dillashaw or the ‘clown’ Sterling.”

In the other main card bouts, Islam Makhachev, with Khabib Nurmagomedov in his corner, did the lightweight icon proud with a clinical ground game. Makhachev deployed the kimura arm lock to make Dan Hooker tap in 2 minutes 25 seconds of the first round.

“Now it’s time. This guy (Hooker) is No. 6. I am on a nine-fight win streak. I am ready for the title.”

Meanwhile, Khamzat Chimaev, once again, showed the hype is real, with a dominating first-round rear-naked choke over Li Jingliang in the welterweight division. The Russian-born Swede took down the Chinese veteran and clobbered him with punches, while simultaneously talking to UFC president Dana White.

“I’m the king here. I’m going to go after everybody, I will kill everybody,” said Chimaev, who is now on a 10-0 roll.

And in the heavyweight category, Alexander Volkov ended Marcin Tybura’s five-fight win streak in a feisty encounter. Magomed Ankalaev pocketed a unanimous decision over Volkan Oezdemir in the light heavyweight division bout, to cap yet another sporting event on Yas Island.