Does Glover Teixeira Deserve A Title Shot With A Win Over Ryan Bader?
Ultimate Fight Night 28 is set for this Wednesday September 4th, taking place in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The event, headlined by Glover Teixeira vs. Ryan Bader, will mark the third UFC event in the space of seven days.
Teixeira has been promised a title shot with a win over Bader, according to UFC Executive Marshall Zelaznik:
“Dana [White] and Joe [Silva] have confirmed that with a strong victory by Glover, that he gets the winner of the Jon Jones fight,””
It is a hectic time for the 205lb. division, with Jones holding it hostage for so long now. Should Glover Teixeira really get the title shot with a win over Bader? Well, Bader has bounced back from his 2012 KO loss to Lyoto Machida by beating Vladdy Matyushenko by submission. He is 3-2 in his last five, his only losses coming to Jon Jones, Tito Ortiz and Lyoto Machida. Bader isn’t quite championship material yet, but he is a tough dude even for someone as seasoned as Teixeira.
I think that the truth is whomever Teixeira fights next; he is the logical title contender right now. Phil Davis is the only other person in the division right now who has a shout for that position. Alexander Gustafsson will face Jones next, Machida is the number two (coming off a loss to Davis), Davis sits at #4, Rashad at #5. From those top five, you can only make a logical argument for Davis or Teixeira.
Out of the two choices, Teixeira is by far the better candidate. Davis is coming off a bullshit razor tight decision win against Lyoto Machida, before that he beat Vinny Magalhaes and Wagner Prado. Prior to the Prado fight(s), Davis’ nine fight win streak was snapped by Rashad Evans. Davis needs another solid top 10 win before he can be considered for the shot, in my opinion at least.
This could all change, should Gustafsson beat Jones at UFC 165. Jones will likely seek an immediate rematch against Gustafsson, especially if it is a very close fight. What should happen then is a contender fight between Davis and GT, providing Teixeira is successful at UFN 28.
Teixeira will look to extend his win streak to 20 against Bader, who won TUF 8 and was unbeaten for his first four years as a pro. Now if Bader is able to beat Teixeira, he could find himself right in the mix at 205. Bader is right around the #11 mark in my books, but if he could beat Teixeira; he would rocket up that list.
All will become clear in the main event at UFN 28, so stay tuned to Lowkick! Cover photo courtesy of Getty Images.
