5 Reasons to Watch UFC on FOX: Glover Teixeira vs. Rashad Evans
This Saturday's card has changed a great deal from what it was originally supposed to be thanks to injuries and banned PED use, which is a bummer. Still, the FOX UFC Fight Night event from Tampa is quite deep, filled with top contenders and rising prospects from top to bottom.
Here are the five top reasons we think you should tune in and stay plugged -in with our coverage!
Glover is once again on a tear and blazing a direct path toward another title shot. In 2014, he fell short after five full rounds with then-champion Jon Jones.
Now, he's riding a two-fight win streak over some of the best contenders in the division. If he can beat former champion Rashad Evans in Saturday's main event, Teixeira will have the best case for another title bout of anyone in the weight class.
On the other hand, if Evans can get back in the win column against someone as good as Teixeira, he will prove to himself and the world that he's fully recovered from the knee injuries that kept him out of action for years, and that he is a legit title threat.
So, the fight is significant. It is also a potentially exciting one.
Teixeira has never been in a fight where he doesn't swing for the fences. He may be the best finisher in MMA, period.
So, look for him to try and make another statement against Evans. For his part, "Suga" is well-rounded but is also a KO artist.
Whether this fight stays on the feet or goes to the ground, expect two men looking for a finish.
Three years ago, Torres beat Namajunas when they were two top prospects. Now, they rematch in a fight that should decide who fights for the strawweight title next.
Namajunas looked improved and composed in dominating Paige VanZant last December. As for Torres, she's still yet to lose.
The "Tiny Tornado" is hard to beat, and so far no one has officially been able to stop her on her destructive path. The fight is an interesting clash of skills.
Both women have so-called traditional martial arts striking backgrounds, so they are completely comfortable striking on the feet. Torres also has improved wrestling, however, and Namajunas' ground work may be the best in the division.
One has the feeling that this fight could go either way depending on the day it happens. Namajunas has to feel confident that she can keep Torres at the end of her long reach on the feet, and submit her on the ground.
Torres likely believes she can storm her way to the inside and do damage with dirty boxing and push around the "Thug Rose." Either could end up correct, and the only way to find out the answer is to tune in to this fantastic co-main event.
On the one hand, the last time Khabib fought, he dominated the man who currently sits atop the lightweight division. On the other, it has been years since the wrestler has competed, thanks to repeated serious injuries.
Khabib recently openly considered retiring after the latest in a comeback false start. His overwhelming grappling skills haven't been able to help him stay healthy or finally get the title shot that he long ago earned.
I can't imagine how frustrating and scary that must be for him, and I want to see how well Khabib is able to deal with it all when he finally steps into the ring again. He was supposed to fight fellow top contender Tony Ferguson, but "El Cucuy" is out with an injury, now.
Still, Nurmagomedov gets to fight, taking on last-minute replacement Darrell Horcher. Horcher gets a chance to leapfrog an entire division of hungry contenders if he beats Khabib.
Nurmagomedov simply gets a chance to do what he loves again and get a paycheck. At this point, that will likely feel like heaven to him.
The final fight on the preliminary card has a chance to be the best one of the entire event. Dariush looked ready to break into the lightweight division's top five with his win over Michael Johnson.
As for Chiesa, he personally shocked me with how well he fought against Jim Miller in December. Miller is one of those guys who, for years, has been great enough to be able to beat anyone on any given night.
Chiesa managed to finish him. It was the biggest win of the Washington fighter's career, and it should have served the rest of the division that the TUF winner isn't quite done yet gunning for title contention.
Both men are action fighters who have excellent striking and phenomenal wrestling and submission skills. I don't know who to pick, here, and that's precisely why I want to watch.
This UFC Fight Pass prelim bout is a real sleeper. We've got two speedy, powerful former title contenders battling to get another win and to stay in conversation.
Dodson moves up to bantamweight after competing for the flyweight title twice and coming up short. Gamburyan has a chance to show that he can still beat the best of the best.
Dodson will likely try to use his foot speed to stay out of Gamburyan's grasp and out of range of his powerful short punches. Both men can end a fight in an instant, and are underrated grapplers.
I can't wait to see how Dodson looks at bantamweight, again, and I'd love for Gamburyan to surprise me and the world by showing he can still hang with the top young guys in the UFC.
