#2 Alexander Gustafsson
- Since January 2015 Gustafsson is 1-2
- His last fight was on September 3rd 2016, a decision win against Jan Blachowicz.
#3 Glover Teixeira
- Since January 2015 Teixeira is 4-1
- His last fight was on Feburary 11th 2017, a decision win against Jared Cannonier.
With the fight being held at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden Alexander Gustafsson will have home advantage as the local crowd will be out in full support of The Mauler, this crowd support typically will give the fighter a much needed dose of adrenaline late in fights but could also possibly have the opposite effect and put unnecessary pressure on a fighter that could actually lead to a massive adrenaline dump.
Gustafsson just turned 30 years old where as Glover is six months shy of turning 38, age greatly favors Alexander in this fight.
The odds are stacked against the aging Teixeira. Glover is at the twilight of a rather brilliant career, the question is whether or not he will be able to achieve his lifelong dream of capturing UFC Gold before its to late. Teixeira has what I call "Farmers Strength" just pure natural power attained through hard labor that is one key tool Glover is bringing into this fight ...unfortunately for Glover, he is aging and aging fast, in his last few fights he has looked noticeably stiff, slow, and sluggish on the feet. That is a deadly combination when fighting a very young, quick, tall Gustafsson who will be bringing in that speed - reach advantage and quickness to counter Glovers pure power.
Round 1: Alexander will keep the distance using that reach to pepper Teixeiras face with jabs and the occasional stiff straight right down the pipe....Glover is going to have a hard time getting in on the much taller Swede. 10-9 Gustafsson.
Round 2: More of the same, The Mauler is going to carry the same game plan from Round 1 into the following rounds. Eventually Glover is going wilt to this consistent barrage of punishment from the much younger, taller, faster fighter. Sooner or later Gus is going to sneak in that hard straight down the pipe that will send Glover to the canvas stunned where Gus will follow with hammer-fists before the ref has to step in and shut down shop.
Winner: Alexander Gustafsson defeats Glover Teixera Round 2 via TKO.
Conclusion:
Fairly easy fight to predict IMO (Could be very very wrong), but I see a lot of back peddling, side stepping, shuffling of the feet mixed in with some jabs and straight lefts - rights from the much more quicker, faster, taller Gustafsson ....
Gus should have this fight fairly easily which is crazy to say since Glover has been such a beast over his career ..unfortunately I believe at this point of his career this is a bad match-up, father time has simply caught up with the old Teixeira and tomorrow night may be one of the last times we see the rough rugged old throw back warrior who even Shogun Rua turned down a fight with.
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