UFC commentator and former two-division champion Daniel “DC” Cormier sympathized with Glover Teixeira’s choice to pull out of UFC 282. Teixeira was supposed to face Jiri Prochazka in a rematch, but when Prochazka pulled out with an injury. Prochazka vacated the title, and the main event will now be contested by Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev. Teixeira was offered the fight, but chose not to take the opportunity. DC explained why.
“I believe that, honestly, I would do the same thing if I was Glover. It’s different. When I was fighting, they told me, as the champ, would you fight Derrick Lewis on three weeks’ notice? Knowing the matchup, I said, sure. Stipe Miocic, I would not have fought on three weeks’ notice, because it’s a different matchup.
DC “Would Do The Same Thing” As Glover Teixeira Ahead of UFC 282
When I had to fight [Anthony] ‘Rumble’ Johnson for the vacant title, God rest his soul, sure, I’ll fight ‘Rumble’ Johnson. When they said Dan Henderson on a few weeks’ — six weeks, five weeks, whatever, I wasn’t in camp — sure, because I know the matchup.
Glover Teixeira also understands that if you give him Jan Blachowicz, he’s fought him before, he’s done training camps for him before. Magomed Ankalaev is an unknown. Nobody really knows what this kid is, especially being that he’s so highly regarded.
If he was just a young kid that nobody knew that wasn’t thought to be a future champion, I think anyone would jump at the opportunity to become champ, because again, we’re talking about a 43-year-old man who has been the UFC champion, who has fought the best of the best.”
DC also discussed what he saw as one of Teixeira’s smarter moves. “Time. He doesn’t have time to rebuild.
He’s 43. When you get to this point at this age, you’ve got to capitalize on it right now or it just doesn’t happen. At 30, when Glover got here on a 18-fight win streak, Glover was able to work his way up to a title fight against Jones, lose, work his way up into a No. 1 contender fight against me, lose, work his way back to another No. 1 contender’s fight, lose, then work himself all the way back up to the champion because he had time. At 43-years-old you don’t have time. So you have to be very selective with what you’re doing.
It’s a young man’s game. Every time you’re in there with the young guys, you cannot beat the young guys, then it’s time for them to move on from you. But again, you also run the risk of fighting Ankalaev and getting mopped up, because the guy is that good. You can literally get embarrassed and then what? So I think it’s smart of Teixeira.”
Did Glover Teixeira make the right choice? Let us know in the comments.
