Glover Teixeira discusses role as alternate at UFC 259
While the public still isn’t allowed to attend fights at the Apex, there was one interested observer watching the UFC 259 main event cageside Saturday night.
Top light heavyweight contender Glover Teixeira was scouting Jan Blachowicz and Israel Adesanya, knowing he was likely to face the winner.
Hours earlier, he had arrived at the venue preparing as if he could be more than a spectator.
Teixeira was on standby as a potential late replacement in case either Adesanya or Blachowicz was forced to pull out of the fight at the last minute.
Teixeira went through the week as if he were going to fight. He made weight Friday and took a long nap Saturday, just as he would on a day he was scheduled to fight.
“I was ready to go until Amanda Nunes walked out (for the co-main event),” Teixeira told the Review-Journal. “Then I knew I probably wasn’t going to fight, so it was out of my hands. I just enjoyed the main event and studied those guys, because you never know what’s going to happen down the road.”
The 41-year-old, who is on a five-fight winning streak, should be next in line to challenge for the belt after Blachowicz retained it with a unanimous decision over Adesanya.
“Glover is the No. 1 contender,” UFC president Dana White said. “100 percent.”
Teixeira, however, said he hasn’t been given such a definitive answer.
“Nobody has said anything for sure,” he said. “I talked to Dana, but nothing is set. Jan said he believes I’m next. But who knows in this game?”
For his part, Teixeira said he wants to fight as soon as Blachowicz is ready.
“He just fought, so it’s up to him,” Teixeira said. “My medicals are done, and I weighed in yesterday, so I’m ready right now if he wants to go five more rounds.”
Blachowicz wants to take some time off first.
His first child was born in December, and Blachowicz couldn’t spend much time with his son because of training camp.
“I’d like a short break,” he said. “I want to spend time with my family. But if he wants to wait a little bit, he will be my next opponent.”
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.