UFC: Glover Teixeira tells Dana White to forget Israel Adesanya, ‘the title shot should be mine’

Age can’t stop Glover Teixeira and neither could Thiago Santos at UFC Vegas 13 on Sunday.

The Brazilian veteran (32-7) used every trick in his playbook before laying on a rear naked choke that had Santos (21-8) tapping out at 1.49 of the third. Before that, the 41-year-old Teixeira had been clocked by two potential fight-enders – once in the first and once in the third – but had worked his way back into the bout, somehow. Put it down to the man’s sheer grappling genius.

Teixeira had come into the fight ranked third behind the number one-ranked Santos, 36, but in the form of his long, illustrious career. He took his streak to 5-0 and then he was still fresh enough to wax lyrical in his post-fight interview.

“Dana White, come on, man,” Teixeira said. “I’m an old man here. You’re going to give the shot to Adesanya and make me wait? Five fights in a row beating these young guys, it’s not easy. Give me that title shot.”

Teixeira will no doubt now spend every waking moment contemplating a shot at the light heavyweight crown held by Poland’s Jan Blachowicz (27-8) – as deserved via his form, his ranking, and all that history he carries with him.

But the fact that the UFC boss Dana White this past week announced he was lining up New Zealand middleweight champ Israel Adesanya (21-0) for that particular privilege first has thrown a spanner into the works as much as it took some shine off on Sunday.

Teixeira will now simply have to wait and see what happens. “His nickname is ‘Sledgehammer’ and I’m telling you, every punch this guy throws is a sledgehammer,” Teixeira said. “I might have a broken bone in my face right now. It’s crazy.”

The first round threw up some vintage Teixeira, who looked to be rocked by Santos any number of times over a minute – a right hook doing most damage – but still managed to scramble from down low, take his man down and assume control.

Santos was then left mostly on his back, fighting to stave off all manner of moves Teixeira tried – and the odd and brutal elbow. He was back down and in trouble early in the second as Teixeira took top position after a double leg takedown, and then patiently went to work doing as much damage as he could. The bell sounded just as a Teixeira finally wore his man down and slipped in the rear naked choke.

Santos took advantage of the lucky break immediately, landing a huge left that rag dolled Teixeira to the canvas but – as was the case in the first – the wily veteran somehow kept his wits about him.

Teixeira kept working, transitioned and took the back – and soon tried that choke once again. Game over.

The main card in Las Vegas was a lot about the future, and it was kicked off by China’s Yan “Fury” Xiaonan (13-1).

Yan laid out her strawweight title credentials with a unanimous points decision over Brazil’s former title contender Claudia Gadelha (18-4). The win should move the 31-year-old’s ranking from eighth into the top five as she eyes a run at champ and compatriot Zhang Weili (21-1).

Then Brazilian bantamweight Raoni Barcelos (16-1) and his German foe Khalid Taha (13-3, one no contest) threw up an absolute barnburner, that was duly awarded Fight of the Night.

Barcelos won – via unanimous decision – after Taha was staggered any number of times, but just kept dusting himself off. It looks as though the 33-year-old Brazilian could be ready for a run now into the rankings, given his 5-0 start in the UFC, and the fact he’s not lost anywhere in six years.

“Here I am, I just got a win,” said Barcelos. “Today I proved to myself that I can go beyond whatever I believe. It was hard, but I think I did a good job.”