UFC: Glover Teixeira tells Dana White to forget Israel Adesanya, ‘the title shot should be mine’
- Brazilian veteran up to his old tricks as he taps out Thiago Santos at UFC Vegas 13
- ‘I’m an old man here. Give me that title shot,’ says Teixeira after bouncing back from two knock-downs
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.