Glover Teixeira knows what it takes to be a UFC champion. After training with Alex Pereira leading into this Saturday’s fights, he thinks his campmate has what it takes to claim UFC gold. Pereira challenges Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title at UFC 281.
The moment that Pereira (6-1-0) signed to the UFC in 2021, a course toward a bout between him and Adesanya (23-1-0) in The Octagon was created. Now, just over 12 months since his debut with the promotion, “Poatan” is facing “The Last Stylebender” for the middleweight title in their first MMA contest at UFC 281. In preparation for the fight, Pereira trained with former UFC light heavyweight champion Teixeira, who sees Pereira defeating Adesanya.
Glover Teixeira On Alex Pereira
Training for a title bout of his own next month at UFC 282, Teixeira talked this week with All Access MMA, and the conversation started with Pereira. Adesanya is skilled in the ground game, and he could attempt to take the fight to the mat. Asked how Pereira trained to combat Adesanya, Teixeira said his campmate is ready for anything.
“You know, Alex prepared for that, man,” Teixeira told AAMMA, addressing the concern of Adesanya taking the fight to the floor. “We prepared for all kinds of stuff, a lot of takedown defense. We did a lot of clench. We have a lot of MMA training for specific opponents of course. For Adesanya, we did more striking and ground, but the guy’s prepared for that. He might go for a shot. He might go for a takedown, but, uh, good luck with that. No, I think he’s going to stand up and I see Alex beating him, because he looked amazing, you know?”
Glover Teixeira’s Prediction for UFC 281 Between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira
However good he looked in camp, Pereira has appeared to have the makeup of a champion, despite just three fights in the UFC. He finished his debut against Andreas Michaelidis with a second-round TKO by strikes, before Bruno Silva took him the distance in March. Pereira started slowly in that fight but poured it on the final two rounds to get the unanimous decision. In his last appearance in July, Pereira carried over that momentum, defeating top 10 contender Sean Strickland by TKO just halfway through the first round. Teixeira is predicting another early finish for the challenger.
“I don’t see this fight going the distance,” he told AAMMA. “I see Alex closing the distance, getting the timing, getting his distance right, and Alex is a difficult fighter to go to decision with. I mean, it can go if Adesanya moves away and not try to engage all the time and be really quick getting out of punches, he’s still going to lose that fight because Alex is going to keep pressuring him. Alex will make him fight, and that’s a big problem when you fight him, you’re getting touched by those hands, man. You’re going down.”
Trading blows with Pereira in camp, Teixeira is sure to be ready for the hard-hitting Jiri Prochazka when the two meet atop the December pay-per-view at UFC 282. Like with this Saturday’s fight, he doesn’t see his contest going the distance either. “The plan is to get him out of there quick,” he said speaking of how he’s approaching Prochazka, who took the belt from Teixeira in this summer’s battle that could very well be the “Fight of the Year”. Win or lose, expect to see the 43-year-old again. “I’m not thinking this is my last fight,” Teixeira said. “I’ll just keep going, keep fighting, because I really enjoy it.”
