5 talking points going into UFC 275: Teixeira vs. Prochazka

#2. Will Glover Teixeira's fairytale run continue, or is this the end of the road for the UFC veteran?

Glover Teixeira joined the UFC ten years ago at the age of 31. He was a dominant force in the Brazilian regional MMA scene and was famously unable to compete in the United States due to visa issues.

At the time, many believed that Teixeira had joined the world's premier MMA organization a little too late in his career and that he would never claim UFC gold.

He went on a five-fight winning streak after joining the promotion, earning himself a title shot against then-champion Jon Jones, which he lost via unanimous decision. His next nine bouts would see him go 5-4 and the consensus opinion was that he was past his prime.

Much to the surprise of the entire MMA community, Teixeira has enjoyed an incredible career resurgence since turning 40 back in 2019. Once again, he went on a five-fight winning streak to secure another title shot. At UFC 267 last year, the Brazilian veteran beat Jan Blachowicz in one of the most inspiring title-winning performances in UFC history.

In his first title defense, Teixeira will have a mammoth task on his hands as he takes on surging light heavyweight Jiri Prochazka at UFC 275. The Brazilian champion has struggled against high-level strikers and doesn't have the fight-ending power in his fists that he once possessed.

However, if he manages to take Prochazka down and secures top position or full mount, the challenger is undoubtedly in trouble.

Teixeira's submission game is truly elite, as is evident in the six-fight win streak he finds himself on. In his current string of victories, the MMA veteran has submitted the likes of Karl Roberson, Ion Cutelaba, Thiago Santos and, of course, former champion Jan Blachowicz.

Nevertheless, Prochazka is as dangerous as they come. The 29-year-old Czech ace has all the advantages over the reigning champion, and as such, is the betting favorite going into the bout. If Teixeira loses, he might just call it quits after a 20 year professional career.

Glover Texeira will look to defend his title on June 11th [Image via @glovertexeira on Instagram]

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#1. Will Jiri Prochazka's astronomic rise continue?

Only a handful of fighters in UFC history have been fast-tracked to a title shot. Brock Lesnar famously fought for the heavyweight title in just his fourth professional MMA bout back in 2008. Most recently, former Bellator champion Michael Chandler contested the vacant lightweight strap with just one win in the UFC.

Jiri Prochazka's rise has been somewhat similar. The Czech phenom joined the UFC in 2020 boasting an impressive professional record of 26-3. He signed with the world's premier MMA organization after winning and defending the light heavyweight championship in Japan's leading combat sports promotion, RIZIN FF. Interestingly, he even turned down the UFC while competing in Japan.

In his first fight in the famed octagon, Prochazka viciously knocked out former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir to break into the top 10. In his sophomore appearance, 'Denisa' put another former title challenger in Dominick Reyes to sleep, producing one of the most memorable knockouts of 2021.

Prochazka's knockout victories against Oezdemir and Reyes proved to be more than enough to convince the matchmakers to give him a title shot. His unorthodox style and penchant for violent finishes has seen him resonate with hardcore fans. At just 29, he could emerge as one of the biggest stars in the sport if he continues on his current trajectory.

At UFC 275, Prochazka will be taking on the biggest challenge of his career thus far when he locks horns with MMA veteran and light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira.

If Jiri Prochazka emerges victorious against Glover Teixeira and claims the light heavyweight title just three fights into his UFC career, his stock will reach new heights.

The light heavyweight throne was occupied by Jon Jones and, briefly, Daniel Cormier for close to a decade. Prochazka has all the tools to rule over the weight class for many years to come and a win at UFC 275 could be the start of a long and fruitful championship reign.