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Glover Teixeira, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, felt belittled after Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev's title match was pronounced official.
Teixeira and Jiri Procházka were slated to duel for the light heavyweight championship at UFC 282. Procházka regrettably disclosed that he had had a serious shoulder injury during training camp, and the fight was called off. Procházka was consequently compelled to give up his belt as he prepared for his first championship defense. The promotion angled for a title fight between Teixeira and Ankalaev.
Teixeira claimed that he declined the bout because he needed to prepare his strategy for a certain kind of challenger. The originally scheduled fight between Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz will still take place, but it will now be for the unoccupied strap, eliminating Teixeira from contention.
“I told them I needed more time for this guy, that he has a different style,” Teixeira told ESPN. “The guy is a southpaw. I said, ‘What about fighting him in Brazil’ (at UFC 283)? They denied that and said they needed someone to fight in Vegas. I said, ‘OK, I’ll fight Jan in Vegas. If you’re going to throw me off, Jan has a regular stance. Ankalaev is a totally different game. I need more time.”
The former UFC champion is perplexed as to why the promotion chose to book him instead of Blachowicz versus Ankalaev but believes "that's what they wanted to do, and that's what they got." That, though, won't alter his feelings about the business. Teixeira ranks his legacy over the money as he doesn’t want to step in the ring against a new opponent unprepared just for the sake of big bucks.
“I give my blood and life inside the octagon. You’ve all watched my fights before, I leave everything in there. I want to bring the belt back Brazil and for myself, and I believe I can do it. I was beating Prochazka, this hero, the guy everybody said was knocking everybody out. I was breaking him until I made a mistake. I’ll get the belt back, but I have to do things right. I have to go there to win.
“I can’t go there for the money because I don’t fight for money. I fight for honor, I fight to elevate my name. I’m not even attached to wins and losses anymore. I fight for a goal. If I were fighting for money I wouldn’t even be fighting anymore, I would have become a YouTuber or something.”
Teixeira responded, "I'm confident of f****** nothing anymore," when asked if he is certain that the winner of Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev in 2023 will follow after him.
The Brazilian uttered the following words: "F*** it, I don't even care who wins at UFC 282."