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At the same time as you had speedy in 2015 or 2016 that Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira would be combating for the UFC light heavyweight title in 2021, you might presumably enjoy been laughed out of town. Miraculously, on the opposite hand, that’s what’s going to happen in the valuable match of UFC 267 this Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
Blachowicz, 38, will shield the division’s final prize against Teixeira, 41, in a warfare that represents the culmination of two excellent occupation resurgences. No subject their ages, the pair enjoy proved they are two of the most easy light heavyweights in MMA this day—maybe even the 2 finest outright—and their imminent clash has drummed up intrigue among followers.
Who comes out on top when the cage door closes? That is a worldly quiz to reply to, nonetheless a more in-depth discover at their respective video games reveals some attention-grabbing insights.
Lend a hand scrolling to watch how they match up on paper.
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We’re speaking a pair of UFC title warfare, so every Blachowicz and Teixeira are solid strikers. In 2021, on the opposite hand, Blachowicz has the upper hand in this department.
Naysayers will cloak that Teixeira has deal extra knockout wins than Blachowicz, ending 18 fights in this vogue in contrast with Blachowicz’s eight. Skeptics would maybe presumably also cloak that Teixeira lands extra valuable strikes per minute, clocking in at 3.75 in contrast with Blachowicz’s 3.59. In this case, though, the stats procure now not paint an just correct image.
While Blachowicz finest nowadays stumbled on his knockout energy—or as he calls it, his “Legendary Polish Energy”—he’s frequently been a extra polished and versatile striker than Teixeira, likely due to his huge skills on the Polish Muay Thai scene between 2006 and 2008. In 2021, he’s also markedly faster than Teixeira who, while mute undeniably abominable, continually appears to be like to be he’s combating underwater.
Make no mistake, even at 41, Teixeira packs ample of a wallop to shut the lights out on Blachowicz, nonetheless his waning scramble is going to trigger him some concerns any time this warfare is on the toes.
Edge: Blachowicz
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The UFC light heavyweight division has lengthy been the area of world-class wrestlers love Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier and Randy Couture. Neither Blachowicz nor Teixeira falls into that class, nonetheless every enjoy developed solid wrestling abilities over the route of their careers. The stats are the total proof of that you wish.
Blachowicz, a striker by exchange, completes a solid 1.18 takedowns per 15 minutes. He also completes a formidable 53 percent of takedowns he makes an try and denies 65 percent of these attempted against him. Teixeira, on the opposite hand, hits a huge 2.04 takedowns per 15 minutes, completes 40 percent of the takedowns he makes an try and thwarts 60 percent of makes an try against him.
These stats would maybe presumably give you affect that Blachowicz is the superior wrestler—and technically speaking, he would maybe presumably be—nonetheless Teixeira has been making use of his wrestling extra successfully nowadays. In his final 5 fights, the Brazilian has done seven takedowns, while Blachowicz has done accurate three—and all of these enjoy been in a single warfare.
It’s keen to allege which of these two done light heavyweights is the upper wrestler, nonetheless Teixeira has looked the allotment of unhurried. For that reason, he narrowly gets the brink.
Edge: Teixeira
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In the end, we enjoy now arrived at a aspect of this matchup the place one fighter is undeniably superior to the opposite.
Blachowicz has a solid submission sport, with nine submission wins on his resume, nonetheless Teixeira is one in all the most easy submission grapplers in the light heavyweight division. While he’s finest won 10 fights by submission, that’s due in trim allotment to his addiction of knocking folks out. He potentially would maybe presumably enjoy won plenty extra fights by submission, nonetheless he hasn’t wanted to.
The stats replicate Teixeira’s submission superiority. He makes an try a median of one submission per 15 minutes in the cage, whereas Blachowicz makes an try accurate 0.2. While he and Blachowicz are every Brazilian jiu-jitsu dim belts, he’s clearly the upper man in phrases of snatching necks and limbs. Lawful ask Thiago Santos, who he submitted unhurried final year to get a title shot.
Edge: Teixeira
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Blachowicz’s X-Ingredient: Trek Kills
Blachowicz is now not the fastest guy in the enviornment, nonetheless against Teixeira, who has slowed deal in the final allotment of his occupation, he would maybe presumably discover the allotment. If Blachowicz wants to steal this warfare, he desires to make use of that scramble income. There’s outwardly no reason he can’t land loads of strikes for each strike Teixeira lands. That increases his possibilities of a knockout steal, nonetheless if he’s ready to rack up a huge income in phrases of strikes landed, it would maybe presumably also supercharge his possibilities of winning a option.
Teixeira’s X-Ingredient: Assemble now not Gamble on Sturdiness
Most frequently, warring parties seem to uncover extra fragile as they age. That hasn’t been the case for Teixeira, who has looked extraordinarily keen to position away in his outdated few fights. His sturdiness is spectacular, nonetheless he must always not gamble on it. If he wants to e-book sure of being knocked mindless—and steal the UFC light heavyweight title—he desires succor his defense on point for every 2nd the warfare’s unfolding on the toes.
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This warfare would maybe presumably terminate any assortment of methods, and few of them would be particularly gruesome. Blachowicz and Teixeira are every proven finishers who enjoy seemingly gotten extra vicious with age. Blachowicz is frequently the faster, extra highly effective man in the cage, and that’s keen to ignore—particularly provided that Teixeira’s contemporary sturdiness can’t be relied on. He’ll disappear the Octagon because the champion, in all likelihood thanks to a knockout. Our money’s on a head kick.
Prediction: Blachowicz By Knockout, Rd. 4
