Glover Teixeira

Submitted Jan Błachowicz to win the title in 2021, then lost it to Jiří Procházka in his first defense in 2022, retiring in 2023.

Glover Lucas Teixeira was born on 28 October 1979 in Sobrália, a small rural community in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and moved to Danbury, Connecticut, in 1999 to help support his family, working long days in landscaping before discovering mixed martial arts after watching early UFC events featuring Royce Gracie. Teixeira trained in boxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu after his shifts, and was eventually invited by coach John Hackleman to train at his California gym, The Pit, alongside Chuck Liddell, before turning professional in 2002 and representing Brazil's national wrestling team. Teixeira delivered the defining moment of his career in October 2021, submitting Jan Błachowicz to win the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at 42 years old, becoming the oldest first-time champion in UFC history, before losing the title to Jiří Procházka in a fight named Fight of the Year by multiple outlets. Teixeira became a U.S. citizen in November 2020, and retired in 2023 having earned recognition as one of the most respected and hard-working champions in UFC history, now training the next generation at his own gym, Teixeira MMA & Fitness, in Bethel, Connecticut.

Teixeira is known for his well-rounded skillset combining solid boxing fundamentals with strong grappling and submission abilities. His boxing features heavy hands and good head movement, while his ground game showcases excellent positional control and submission threats. He adapted his style over his career, relying more on his wrestling and grappling as he aged.

Teixeira's championship victory at age 42 proved that veteran fighters can still compete at the highest level in modern MMA and inspired older athletes across combat sports.

• UFC Light Heavyweight Champion 2021-2022