The narrative that entered the UFC 275 main event between light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira and top challenger Jiri Prochazka was that Prochazka had to do everything in his power to stay out of the ground if he wanted to be champion. Prochazka made a narrative loop not only surviving land round after round, but finally got a presentation of her own in the last 30 seconds of the fight to win the title in what was a great fight of all time.
Prochazka had brilliant moments throughout the fight, showing his characteristic unorthodox blow to attack Teixeira. But for all the challenger moments, Teixeira had an answer to every step, scoring knockdowns and hitting Prochazka on the ground.
Prochazka was left with a massive cut to Teixeira’s left eye from big blows from the mount, but every time Teixeira seemed to have taken control, Prochazka found a way out of trouble and got back on his feet. Prochazka not only survived on the ground, but at various points in the struggle, Prochazka was the man who had control on the ground, gaining his own land and free to draw blood from the Brazilian legend.
Then came the final round. With the fight seemingly balanced, Teixeira put the fight on the ground and seemed to have full control until Prochazka was able to throw the cage and reverse the position. Surprisingly, Prochazka saw Teixeira’s bare neck and closed in on her bare back, squeezing everything she had to force the tap at 4:32 of round 5.
“Like I said, before the fight, I’m ready to finish it in the first or fifth round,” Prochazka said after the fight. “It doesn’t matter. And it doesn’t matter what technique.”
What really set the arrival may have been a Prochazka-specific burst two rounds earlier. With Teixeira in the cage, Prochazka focused on the body, piercing Teixeira with strong blows and knees. Teixeira fired desperately and fought well, but bodywork clearly paid off.
Teixeira admitted it after the fight, citing a sharp weight cut while saying it was no excuse before saying Prochazka’s body shots had reduced his endurance and left him unable to fight the final submission. .
Prochazka has now won 13 straight fights, all but one coming from a standstill. The presentation was only the third of Prochazka’s career and the first since 2014.
The fight with Teixeira was only Prochazka’s third in the UFC, making him one of the fastest in UFC history to win a title.
Teixeira said after the fight that he planned to fight, and applauded loudly among the Singapore crowd. The defeat broke a six-game winning streak for the 42-year-old, who, unlike Prochazka, made 21 fights in the Octagon to become world champion.
CBS Sports was with you all Saturday and gave you all the highlights and highlights of UFC 275 below.
UFC 275 card and results
- Jiri Prochazka defeated. Glover Teixeira (c) by presenting the fifth round (naked posterior suffocation)
- Valentina Shevchenko (c) def. Talia Santos by split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46)
- Zhang Weili defeated. Joanna Jedrzejczyk by TKO second round (fist turned back)
- Jake Matthews defeated. Andre Fiahlo for second-round technical knockout (blows)
- Jack Della Maddalena defeated. Ramazan Emeev for first-round technical knockout (fists)
- Josh Culibao defeated. Seungwoo Choi by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Hayisaer Maheshate defeated. Steve Garcia for first-round knockout (punch)
- Brendan Allen defeated. Jacob Malkoun by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Kyung Ho Kang defeated. Danaa Batgerel by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Silvana Gomez Juárez defeat. Liang Na by first round technical knockout (fist cup)
- Joselyne Edwards defeated. Ramona Pascual by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)