Glover Teixeira will be the official backup for the UFC 259 light heavyweight title fight between Jan Blachowicz and Israel Adesanya.
Glover Teixeira has earned his place as the #1 contender at light heavyweight by stringing together five consecutive victories over top opponents in the division. Most recently, Teixeira defeated then-#1 contender Thiago Santos in November. At 41 years old, Teixeira does not have the luxury of time, so he was hoping that Dana White and the UFC brass would give him the world title shot that he and many others felt he undoubtedly earned.
“Dana White, come on man, I’m an old man over here,” Teixeira said in his UFC Vegas 13 post-fight interview. “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.”
Dana White claimed to hear Teixeira’s message loud and clear, but as the world is now aware, the UFC would opt to go in another direction and instead book Israel Adesanya as the first challenger to Jan Blachowicz’s championship.
Glover Teixeira Confirms He Will Be Backup Fighter for UFC 259 Main Event
Naturally, Teixeira was disappointed in this decision, but he took it in stride and offered to be the replacement fighter for the main event should something happen to the headliners. Teixeira may not have gotten what he wanted in receiving a title shot, but according to Teixeira, he will be granted this backup request.
“I’ll be backup and will have to go there and make weight,” Teixeira confirmed via text message to MMA Fighting.
UFC 259 takes place on March 6, 2021 from the UFC APEX and will stream exclusively on ESPN+.
Do you believe placing Glover Teixeira as the backup fighter for Jan Blachowicz vs. Israel Adesanya is fair?
