Pawan Kumar
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Glover Teixeira lost the light heavyweight title belt in his last UFC fight. He needs it back now.
The Brazilian hasn’t fought on home soil in eight years, and when he faces American Jamahal Hill at UFC 283 on Sunday, he expects a loud crowd in Rio to cheer him on.
Jiri Prochazka, the man the 43-year-old fighter beat to win the title, was supposed to fight him again in December. However, Prochazka had to pull out because of a shoulder injury, so the fight was cancelled and the belt was given to the younger fighter.
The ace in the pack which evergreen Brazilian slugger Glover Teixeira will reveal when he unleashes fury in UFC 283.@CallumjDickhttps://t.co/CTkAyZtJRL pic.twitter.com/XoyrTbD3Em
— Telegraph Sport (@telegraph_sport) January 21, 2023
In a rush to find a new champion, the UFC had Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev fight for the belt. However, after a disappointing split-decision draw in Las Vegas, the pendulum has swung back to the former champion.
Now, whether it was luck or fate, Teixeira gets what he wanted. He will fight in his home country for the UFC light heavyweight belt.
“I was going to fight here” (in Rio). I thought that if I won the belt and the fight in Singapore (against Prochazka), I would ask for the fight to be here. I did ask, but Jiri didn’t want to come here,” Teixeira told News Corp.
“It’s very important. I’m so happy about it because, even though I like to fight everywhere, I haven’t been here to fight in almost eight years. To be back here and fight for the belt, to have the chance to win the belt in front of a Brazilian crowd… I really appreciate it.”
When Teixeira beat Blachowicz at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi in October 2021, he became the second-oldest UFC champion in history.
Sunday’s opponent, Hill, is 12 years younger than him and has quickly put together a highlight reel of devastating knockouts. His stoppage of Johnny Walker in the first round last February was the most impressive of these.
But the Brazilian, who is now in his third decade of mixed martial arts (MMA) and has made a habit of proving doubters wrong over that time, doesn’t care about his age.
Teixeira said, “I just love to do it, and I’m still pretty good at it.”
Brazilian mixed martial arts fighter Gilbert Burns opined that he has to destroy American opponent Neil Magny when UFC 283 unveils at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this Sunday, January 22 at 7 a.m. (Manila time).https://t.co/q3KDqQScf4
— Philstar Sports Hub (@StarSportsHub) January 21, 2023
“I feel good, I haven’t hurt myself badly, and I’m still doing very well in this sport. I lost my last fight against Prochazka, but I was winning until I got choked, so I’m not done.
“What drives me is to fight for the belt and be the best in the world. “Man, I’m living the dream!”
Hill does his best work on his feet, and he has quickly become known as one of the hardest-hitting fighters in the 205-pound division.
But when Paul Craig took the American to the mat at UFC 263, things went wrong. His arm got dislocated, and he got his first and only UFC loss.
“Jamahal – I really like and admire him. He’s a great fighter, and this is a great chance for me to prove once again that I’m the best,” Teixeira said.
“I’m going to grab him and take him down. He should be afraid of that, because those hands can’t reach you if I take him down” (on the floor).
“I’m looking forward to this one.”
“Meat for the Lion”: UFC 283 is expected to end in a violent way
Glover Teixeira may be one of the most respected and experienced fighters in the UFC, but on Sunday he will be “just more meat for the lion” that is American Jamahal Hill.
The UFC light heavyweight belt has been empty for two months, but hopefully that will change at UFC 283. One of Teixeira (33-8) or Hill (11-1) will win the belt.
Jiri Prochazka gave up the belt because of an injury to his right shoulder. It was up for grabs at UFC 282 in December, but no one won it after Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev fought to a disappointing draw.
That didn’t work for the UFC, so they quickly asked Hill to fight Teixeira, who used to be the light heavyweight champion.
When his manager called, he was sitting on the couch watching what happened after the split decision.
A title fight against a former champion of the division takes six weeks to get ready for. No problem.
“I’m just happy to get after it sooner,” Hill said.
“Because I thought I had more time, I had to work harder… Then all of a sudden, I had six weeks to get ready for a title fight, so I have to get to work.
“Compared to what I’ve been through my whole career, I don’t care. “I’m all set to go.”
The 31-year-old was supposed to fight Anthony Smith in March, but now he’s in Rio de Janeiro, in Teixeira’s hometown, getting ready to show the world that “Sweet Dreams” really is the best fighter in the division, after only seven fights in the UFC.
Hill told News Corp., “If I win that belt, it means I was right and I’m the best in the world.”
“I’ve thought that about myself for a long time, and I’ve been trying to prove it. (Sunday’s fight) is about proving myself right.”
Fighters usually take their skills all over the world, but Hill had never left the US until this week, when she arrived in Rio.
His opponent is a 43-year-old UFC veteran and former light heavyweight champion from June of last year. In Brazil, he has won 12 of his 13 fights.
But Hill has been getting better and better since his TKO loss to Paul Craig at UFC 263. He has won his last three fights, two of which were by knockout, to earn his spot in the ring against Teixeira.
But he only has a certain amount of respect for the Brazilian.
“He’s a hero, a real hero. Hill said of his opponent, “He’s one of the best in the world and one of the best ever, and I have nothing but respect and admiration for him.”
“But, man, none of that matters when we rock into that cage, because to me, he’s just more food for the lion.”
