Glover Teixeira Submits Jan Blachowicz, Claims Light Heavyweight Title in UFC 267 Main Event

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Glover Teixeira almost unbelievably stands atop the mountain—7,085 days after his mixed martial arts journey began.

Some 48 hours after he celebrated his 42nd birthday, the ageless Brazilian submitted Jan Blachowicz with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their UFC 267 headliner and walked away with the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight title on Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Blachowicz (28-9, 11-6 UFC) tapped out 3:02 into Round 2, as he bowed in defeat for the first time in more than three years.

UNDISPUTED CHAMP AT 42 YEARS OLD!!!!

[ #UFC267 | @VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/yyxWjAqexp

— UFC (@ufc) October 30, 2021

Teixeira (33-7, 16-5 UFC) set the table in the first round, where he took down the WCA Fight Team product inside the first minute and consolidated his efforts with top control and ground-and-pound. He waded through thudding punches from the Polish powerhouse in Round 2, staggered him with a sweeping left hook and secured another takedown. Teixeira then climbed to full mount, transitioned to the back and flattened out the champion before cinching the choke for the finish.

Yan Outduels Sandhagen for Interim Crown

Petr Yan answered output with power and precision, as he captured the interim bantamweight championship with a unanimous decision over Cory Sandhagen in the five-round co-main event. All three cageside judges scored it 49-46 for Yan (16-2, 8-1 UFC), a winner in 11 of his past 12 bouts.

Sandhagen (14-4, 7-3 UFC) started strong and controlled much of the first round with left hooks to the body and kicks to various targets. However, Yan found another gear midway through the fight and pushed a pace his adversary could not match. He floored Sandhagen with an exquisite spinning backfist-left hook combination in the third round, applied merciless pressure with relentless forward movement and answered any salvos the Elevation Fight Team rep launched with something comparable of his own. Sandhagen enjoyed a modicum success while circling on the perimeter in the fifth round, only to have Yan track him down with shots that wowed the crowd and likely the judges.

Yan now awaits a rematch with Aljamain Sterling, the man to whom he surrendered the undisputed bantamweight title in a March 6 disqualification.

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Makhachev Kimura Submits Hooker

Burgeoning American Kickboxing Academy star Islam Makhachev submitted Dan Hooker with a kimura in the first round of their brief but revealing lightweight encounter. A short-notice replacement for Rafael dos Anjos, Hooker (21-11, 11-7 UFC) conceded defeat 2:25 into Round 1.

The outcome was in doubt for less than a minute. Makhachev (21-1, 10-1 UFC) landed a quick takedown, progressed to half guard and framed the kimura from side control. Hooker was beyond help, as the Russian sambo practitioner continued to crank on his isolated arm until he had no choice but to raise the white flag.

Now a clear and present danger to everyone in the 155-pound weight class, Makhachev will ride a nine-fight winning streak into his next assignment.

Volkov Cruises Past Tybura

Effective counterstriking and airtight takedown defense spurred former Bellator MMA champion Alexander Volkov to a unanimous decision over Marcin Tybura in a three-round heavyweight feature. Volkov (34-9, 8-3 UFC) swept the scorecards with 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 marks from the cageside judges.

Tybura (22-7, 10-5 UFC) failed in repeated attempts to dump the 6-foot-7 Russian to the floor. As a result, he found himself trapped on the feet with a superior marksman. Volkov answered the Polish powerhouse’s forward pressure with clean multi-strike combinations to the head and body. He did his best work when it mattered most in Round 3, where he pieced together punches and incorporated knees to the body and standing elbows upstairs, all while keeping himself upright.

The setback was Tybura’s first in more than two years and shut the door on his five-fight winning streak.

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Chimaev Chokes Li Unconscious

Allstars Training Center prospect Khamzat Chimaev returned from a year-long absence and put Jingliang Li to sleep with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their hotly anticipated welterweight attraction. Li (18-7, 10-5 UFC) lost consciousness 3:16 into Round 1, suffering his first submission defeat in more than six years.

Chimaev (10-0, 4-0 UFC) handled his business like a contract killer. He secured a takedown inside the first 30 seconds, applied his ground-and-pound and advanced to the back before flattening out “The Leech” and nearly closing the show with unanswered punches. Chimaev then turned his attention to the neck, slid his arm into place for the choke, readjusted his grip and tightened his squeeze until the lights went out on his opponent.

The 27-year-old Chimaev has finished all 10 of his opponents, seven of them in the first round.

Ascendant Ankalaev Dominates Oezdemir

Gorets Fight Team product Magomed Ankalaev moved one step closer to title contention at 205 pounds, as he laid claim to a unanimous decision over Volkan Oezdemir in a three-round light heavyweight showcase. Ankalaev (16-1, 7-1 UFC) carried all three scorecards: 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

Oezdemir (17-6, 5-5 UFC) struggled and ultimately failed to manage clear disadvantages in the speed and skill departments. Ankalaev chewed on him with jabs, sat him down with a lightning bolt of a left cross in the first round and opened a cut above his left eye with a short right hook in the second. Oezdemir grew more and more gun-shy as time wore on, affording the former World Fighting Championship Akhmat titleholder the opportunity to cruise to the finish line without much resistance.

Anklaev, 29, has rattled off seven consecutive victories.

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