Retribution is rare in mixed martial arts. One career is made at the expense of another, often with no revisions. But something peculiar is happening in the light heavyweight division, a weight class that takes center stage at UFC 300.
Light heavyweight holds a unique legacy in the sport as the glamour division for years during UFC's boom in the late 2000s. Chuck Liddell, Glover Teixeira and Alex Pereira are three generations of training partners who ascended to the top of UFC's most storied division.
Pereira will defend the UFC light heavyweight championship against Jamahal Hill at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. It's his first light heavyweight title defense since beating Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295. The first two opponents of Pereira's light heavyweight title run are the last opponents of Texieira's championship career.
"I was fighting the top five guys in the UFC and now that's what he's doing," Teixeira told CBS Sports. "He got the belt. It's kind of funny because Chuck, him and I were hanging out the other day. I said, 'Hey, man. When Chuck retires, I'll get that belt...' Now, Alex has that light heavyweight belt. It's really cool."
Check out the full interview with Glover Teixeira below.
Teixeira's final fights were not for the faint of heart. The former champion went back and forth with Prochazka in a five-round brawl deemed CBS Sports' 2022 Fight of the Year. Against Hill, Teixeira showed incredible durability for a man in his mid-40s but was bloodied and battered for 25 minutes. Pereira witnessed each crushing loss in Teixeira's corner. Come fight night, the champ must clear those thoughts from his mind.
"I'm not going into this fight with mixed emotions about vengeance because I don't want to play that game," Pereira previously told CBS Sports through his interpreter and coach, Plinio Cruz. "I want to go in with a very positive mindset. So I'm going in with the mindset that they've never fought before. But looking through the other side of being able to bring Glover's belt back to the gym, that means a lot to me."
Pereira can draw from Teixeira's experiences, but he is not the only one benefiting from inside knowledge. Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya advised Hill ahead of UFC 300. Pereira and Adesanya have a storied four-fight rivalry across kickboxing and MMA. Adesanya most recently knocked out Pereira, winning his first fight in the series and stopping the only man to KO him. The fierce rivals know each other better than most, making Adesanya a valuable resource for Hill.
"He answered any questions I had," Hill told CBS Sports. "He said, 'I'm an open book, whatever questions you have.' And hell, I just fired away questions."
"Izzy beat Alex that one time," Teixeira said. "How many times is he going to fight Alex and that fight is going to turn in Izzy's favor? I don't see that happening. Yes, he can get time anytime but I don't see Izzy being able to beat Alex. But Izzy is a great fighter and for sure if he's in anybody's corner, he's going to help them."
There is a sentiment that Pereira is the superior striker. At a basic level, the numbers support the claim. Pereira statistically has a higher knockout percentage, striking offense and striking defense than his challenger. Pereira is also the only athlete to win two weight class titles in both Glory Kickboxing and UFC. That narrative does not sit well with Hill.
"It seems like I have to break it down for laymen at all different times and levels. I've seen a lot of crazy, clown-ass things," Hill said. "It's just the simple fact that I'm a better fighter. It's the simple fact that I see things different. My skill set is very unique. It's not something that a lot of people do. I do things a lot better than a lot of people do.
"That's my gift. I'm a very gifted individual. A very gifted fighter. The skill set that I bring and the talents that I bring within that realm, they just produce results like that. Outside of the armbar that Paul Craig caught me in, who has competed with me? When has it been close?"
Pereira takes Hill as a serious threat but sees him as a step below Prochazka in overall skills.
"I think Jiri is more accurate and precise on his strikes. The way that he throws and the way that he fights," Periera told CBS Sports through Cruz. "Jamahal Hill has a little more advantage on his power. It makes him dangerous too because nobody wants to take that hit and go down in fights. But when you talk about skill level, Jiri Prochazka is superior."
Check out the full interview with Alex Pereira below.
Revenge is not the driving force for Pereira and Teixeira. Emotions can be powerful tools for some fighters. Not Pereira. "Poatan" is stone-cold in his preparation and delivery. His team argues that vengeance is a fan-driven narrative. Still, beating Hill and Prochazka makes for a sweeter celebration.
"If that's what the fans like to hear, go ahead and say it," Teixeira said. "The reality is I'm good. I'm doing fine. When I fought 'Rampage' [Jackson and Rashad Evans], a lot of people said I was avenging Chuck. The vengeance stuff. I would say, 'Chuck is fine. He is OK.'
"Alex was right there rooting for me when I fought Jiri and Jiri got his hand raised. We were all upset. The next time Alex went up there and got the title from him to become champion. We were all happy about it and it felt good in a way. This guy was happy last time and now we got him. Jamahal is the same way. It's not a personal thing. That's the game."
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