It won’t be as originally planned, but Glover Teixeira will get his shot at the light heavyweight title after all.
The former UFC champion went from rematching Jiri Prochazka in Las Vegas to now battling Jamahal Hill for the vacant belt in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after Prochazka stepped away due to an injury and Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev ended in a split draw.
Teixeira, who once flirted with retirement as champion, said on this week’s episode of MMA Fighting podcast Trocacao Franca there’s absolute no chance he walks away from the sport if crowned champion at UFC 283 on Jan. 21.
“There won’t ever be any retirement, Teixeira stated. One of my friends asked me that question back in the day. “Do you still think about fighting, then defend your belt at Madison Square Garden ?” I answered, “Who knows.” I don’t plan on what the future will bring. The present is all I have. I don’t have such plans, ‘I’ll retire at that date.’ The day I retire will be the day I’m training poorly, when I don’t want to go to the gym anymore.
” I remember moments like those back in my youth. Because I was dealing to injuries, it was hard for me. After my loss to Corey Anderson, I felt down. I love to be training and fighting. You saw my last fight, the one with Jiri. You can see how high I fight. It’s intense. It’s intense.
Teixeira was cageside at UFC 282 and thought Ankalaev would get the nod after five rounds, but then Bruce Buffer announced that Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev was ruled a split draw. Teixeira said “even the draw was a bit wrong, [but] things went wrong in order to go right for me.”
” I thought, how about me? Who am I fighting now? There’s no champion,” Teixeira said of his immediate reaction. “But I didn’t think too much about it. It was great. They called me right after and took me to a meeting room backstage and we got it done. It was quick. [UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell] asked if I would fight Jamahal Hill in Brazil for the belt. I replied, “Sure. Talk to the managers. We’ll do it.” Let’s go.”
Of all the four fighters involved in the equation, Teixeira said Prochazka is the trickier to prepare for since he’s “very awkward and hits hard from different positions,” but Hill is just as tough.
Hill was an 11-year-old kid when Teixeira made his MMA debut in 2002 and gets his shot at the gold after a trio of knockouts over Thiago Santos, Johnny Walker and Jimmy Crute. “Sweet Dreams” was originally scheduled to headline a UFC Fight Night card in March opposite Anthony Smith.
Teixeira won’t think Hill will be in worse condition because he was not deep in training camp.
“That’s not the case, to think I’m better prepared than the guy,” Teixeira said. “I’m the better man, that’s what I have to think. This guy can be submitted if you use the correct strategy. You can either take him down or submit him. My style is well-known to everyone. Take him down, but get the hand gets in if he lets it.”
If he wins in Rio de Janeiro Teixeira will be the No. 1 fighter. 1 light heavyweight fighter on the planet even thought he wouldn’t have avenged his most recent defeat to Prochazka just yet.
” It’s all about the moment,” said he. “Prochazka won a fight with 28 seconds left. If I get up there and win for 28 seconds I’d be the champion. I was winning. The fight was not overly intense and I lost. Now I am the champion once again. So, for sure, I’ll go after the belt. It is not owned by anyone. I’ll show I’m the best in the world. If Prochazka recovers before the end of the year, I don’t know if he can do it, then we’ll fight again. It’s not something I plan to do. As I mentioned, I won’t make any plans.
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/12/14/23508889/glover-teixeira-definitely-wont-retire-ufc-283-title-win-jamahal-hill?rand=96749
