Glover Teixeira has been open in saying he only has a few fights left, but Daniel Cormier thinks the light heavyweight champ should keep on fighting.
The 42-year-old Brazilian is set to defend his belt for the first time against Jiri Prochazka in an intriguing matchup. In the lead-up to the fight, many have hinted this could be it for the UFC champ, but for “DC”, he thinks Teixeira should continue fighting until he loses.
Ride It Until the Wheels Come Off
“I’ll say this, and this is no disrespect for anyone in the division,” Cormier told MMA Junkie. “I look at the light heavyweight division, and if I’m him, I’m riding it because the reality is that you never know what can happen. I told this to Jiri earlier – From 2009 to 2020, Jon (Jones) or I had the belt. It was like seven, six years Jon and four years me. Nobody else got to touch the belt. But now, they’re kind of passing it around. There ain’t no Jon Jones or Daniel Cormier in that weight class with Glover Teixeira right now.”
The LHW throne is 𝑶𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑬 🏆
@GloverTeixeira vs @Jiri_BJP[ #UFC275 | Tomorrow | Live on ESPN+ PPV: https://t.co/IEu8bU0BAa ] pic.twitter.com/c4IAcB9jj9
— UFC (@ufc) June 10, 2022
“Those guys are talented guys, and they can all beat you, but in terms of stylistic matchup, they all seem to be pretty good for him because he can take them down, and they can’t really deal with the top pressure,” Cormier continued. “So if I’m Glover, I’m riding it out. I’m riding this thing out until the wheels fall off. And if somebody beats me, then I’m walking away. But looking at the matchups, no real wrestlers.”
Who Can Beat Glover Teixeira?
Although Cormier says Teixeira should keep fighting until he loses, there is one opponent the former champ-champ advises Teixeira to not face. That is Magomed Ankalaev who’s set to fight Anthony Smith at UFC 277.
“I would stay away from Ankalaev,” Cormier said. “I’d fight all these dudes until Ankalaev is ready. When Ankalaev is ready, I’m like, ‘You know what guys? I think I might be done.’ But, yeah, I think I’d ride it out.”
Before that fight may even come to fruition, both Teixeira and Ankalaev will need to win their respective fights this summer.
Watch UFC 275: Glover Teixeira vs Jiri Prochoska
- When: Saturday, June 11, 2022
- Where: Singapore Indoor Stadium – Singapore
- Early Prelims Start Time: 6:30 p.m. EST / 3:30 p.m. PST
- Prelims Start Time: 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PST
- Main Card Start Time: 10 p.m. EST / 7 p.m. PST
- How to Watch: ESPN+ / PPV
