Glover Teixeira will be backup for UFC 259 main event title fight
UFC light heavyweight veteran Glover Teixeira has officially been named the backup for the main event of next month’s UFC 259 pay-per-view.
Teixeira is the No. 1 contender in the UFC light heavyweight division, but the promotion passed on giving him the next title shot against 205lbs champion Jan Blachowicz. Instead, the UFC chose to go with the biggest name possible and gave UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya the title shot instead. Many fans and media were up in arms about Teixeira being passed over for the title shot, especially given that he’s currently riding a five-fight win streak, not to mention the fact that he’s 41 years old. Unlike Adesanya, who has many years ahead of him, Teixeira could be heading into the final few years of his MMA career.
Despite all of that, the UFC chose to go in another direction for the UFC 259 main event, and Blachowicz will meet Adesanya on March 6 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. However, there is some good news at the end of the tunnel for the Teixeira. Speaking to MMAFighting.com, Teixeira confirmed that he will be the backup fighter for the main event at UFC 259, meaning he is being paid to come in and make weight.
“I’ll be the backup and will have to go there and make weight,” Teixeira said.
The veteran has looked strong as of late, defeating top-10 opponents Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith in his last two fights. In fact, Teixeira was arguably more impressive in those wins than former champion Jon Jones was when he fought them. Speaking of Jones, Teixeira has fought for the UFC belt once, back at UFC 172 in 2014. He lost a decision to Jones that night and since then has yet to get another title shot. That could very well change at UFC 259, but even if he doesn’t step in as the backup, he’s sure to get the winner.
Do you think the UFC should have given Glover Teixeira the title shot over Israel Adesanya in the first place?
