Jiří Procházka (29-3-1) submitted Glover Teixeira (33-8) to win the light heavyweight belt at UFC 275 from Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore.
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Teixeira worked to keep Procházka at range with a slew of head kicks to open the fight. Teixeira earned an early takedown and tested Procházka’s ground game with a nonstop attack that led him to nearly earn the challenger’s back. Procházka found his way back to his feet, but it was Teixeira taking the challenger to the ground and taking full mount with more than a minute left in the round before taking his back. With just 20 seconds left in the round, Teixeira got too high on Procházka‘s back, slipped off and was the recipient of haymakers on the ground.
In the second, a confidence boost saw Procházka let his hands fly with big shots that sent Teixeira into panic mode and a desperate takedown attempt. Back on his feet, Teixeira staved off a slew of shots and sent the challenger on his back with a huge counter left hand. The champ moved into full mount again, but Procházka was able to shift the champ into side control. Teixeira moved back into full mount to end the round, dropping bombs with big elbows that cut the challenger open.
Procházka continued to jab Teixiera into oblivion to open the third round, landing shot after shot to the champ. Midway through the round, Teixeira yet again found an opening and earned a takedown. But this time, Procházka more easily got back to his feet and continued to drop haymakers until Teixeira dropped for a takedown, but Procházka flattened him. In half guard, Procházka continued to let his hands fly, but Teixeira reversed into full guard.
To open the championship round, Teixeira brought the fight to Procházka with a much more aggressive start. Teixeira sent Procházka stumbling with a combination before landing a big takedown. From side control, Teixeira moved into full mount ad locked in an arm triangle but couldn’t finish the fight. With a minute left, Procházka flipped, reversed and was suddenly in control with Teixeira on his back taking shots. The two scrambled with reversals over the final minute until the final buzzer.
In the fifth and final round, Teixeira had Procházka rocked and tried to lock in a front choke. Procházka slipped out and earned top control. He allowed Teixeira back to his feet and the two continued to shoot away. Procházka appeared to be out on his feet as Teixeira landed shot after shot. With two minutes left, the champ got a takedown and moved into full mount. With a minute remaining, Procházka took Teixeira’s back and earned the submission.
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Teixeira entered Saturday night’s main event with his first title defense since winning the crown from Jan Blachowicz last October. Before that, Teixeira earned his title shot by rattling off five-consecutive victories, including wins over former title contenders Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos.
Procházka earned his shot at UFC gold by handing a second-round knockout to former title contender Dominick Reyes just one month ago.
