MMA Preview – Jan Blachowicz vs Glover Teixeira at UFC 267
JAN BLACHOWICZ VS GLOVER TEIXEIRA FACTS
When is UFC 267? Saturday 30th October, 2021 - 17:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC 267? Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, (UAE)
Where can I get tickets for UFC 267? Click here to buy tickets for UFC 267
What channel is UFC 267 on? BT Sport 2
Where can I stream UFC 267? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
JAN BLACHOWICZ VS GLOVER TEIXEIRA LOWDOWN
Jan Blachowicz (28-8) is lapping up every moment of his prime and is coming off the first defence of his light heavyweight title and biggest win of his career. He made it look easy in all honesty inflicting the first loss of Israel Adesanya’s career. He was the underdog but put all his weight and grappling to use subduing the elite striker for five rounds. That made it five in a row for the veteran who has matured into a well-rounded beast of a 205er. He started the streak by burying Luke Rockhold, squeaking past Jacare Souza in a split decision, dispatching Corey Anderson and then crushing Dominick Reyes with the eighth knockout of his career to earn the strap.
The old war horse Glover Teixeira (32-7) is in the final straight of his last run for the title. He is 42 years old and had 20 UFC fights. His first attempt at capturing the light heavyweight title was against Jon Jones in 2014 and frankly got outclassed. The next four years were a mixed bag capped off by a unanimous decision loss to Anderson, but he has gone on a tear since. He submitted Karl Roberson and Ion Cutelaba before earning a split decision over Nikia Krylov. He then mauled Anthony Smith putting him out of his misery in the fifth round and is coming off a submission over Thiago Santos.
JAN BLACHOWICZ VS GLOVER TEIXEIRA PREDICTION
This is the perfect time for these two to meet for a title shot. They are both in their pomp which will not last for too much longer, especially for Teixeira. Blachowicz comes from a Muay Thai background, is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and Teixeira is a high-level black belt in BJJ as well as being a technically sound and powerful boxer.
Blachowicz has the power advantage in his strikes and in recent years has let his hands fly a lot more which has resulted in a few one-punch knockouts. His left hook in particular is a weapon and it will have Teixeira’s name on as he regularly eats a lot of strikes to the dome.
We almost expect Teixeira to get rocked by a Blachowicz missile, but that does not mean he will be out of the fight, and it may force him to grapple sooner than planned. Blachowicz is an exceptional wrestler and BJJ practitioner, but Teixeira is different gravy on the ground.
The battle of the clinch could decide the winner. If Teixeira gets the upper hand with his dirty boxing and manages to drag Blachowicz to the ground, he will stay on him like a wet towel, raining down punches to open up a submission. However, the clinch is also Blachowicz’s domain and he is devastating on the break torquing the left hand from a variety of angles as soon as there is space.
That said, we expect Teixeira to initiate the clinch after few exchanges on the feet and will press Blachowicz up against the fence hoping to offload cutting elbows and uppercuts before pulling him down. If he succeeds, Blachowicz will be in for a gruelling night, if the Pole keeps the fight on the feet, the power in his hands and feet will swing this in his favour.
We are backing the champion here, but this is a tough one to call. As they are both so durable, we expect an attritional five rounds and a decision to close to blockbuster card.
Prediction: Blachowicz via Decision - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
Value Bet: Teixeira to win
