UFC 172 Fights, Predictions, and News: Glover Teixeira Will Finish Jon Jones in Three Rounds, Says Chuck Liddell
Glover Teixeira will be a heavy underdog when he collides with Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 172 on Saturday in Baltimore, but Chuck Liddell feels that Teixeira will pull off an upset.
Liddell, who is one of the greatest fighter to come out of "The Pit" in California, said in an interview with MMA Fighting that Teixeira will bring home the UFC light heavyweight title to John Hackleman's gym, adding that Teixeira will win in three rounds.
"I think [Glover] either hurts [Jones] with a punch and he shoots and submits him, or knocks him out," Liddell said. "I'm not sure which one, but it's one of those things. Doesn't get past [round] three."
While Jones is expected to become a heavy odds favorite, Liddell said that Teixeira can stand toe-to-toe with the reigning UFC pound-for-pound champion, and he believes that his stablemate's punching power will prove to be the difference in the match.
"I thought style-wise it is a good matchup for him," Liddell said. "He has the wrestling to hang in there with him on takedowns, if Jon Jones shoots in he has to be careful not to get caught in something, if he does get him down, Glover is really good at getting him off his back. I think the think that's going to have the biggest effect is the power that Glover has. He hits very hard."
Teixeira, who is coming off a first-round knockout win against Ryan Bader in September last year, holds a perfect 5-0 UFC record and has not lost in his last 20 fights since 2006.
Liddell trained together with Teixeira for a long time, and he believes that the Brazilian's work ethic will finally put him on top of his weight class.
"He was always a hard worker," Liddell said of Teixeira. "When he came to us he was mostly just a jiu-jitsu guy, but he just kept working, kept working, and he was always in great shape, he was always pushing me in the gym, pushing the conditioning stuff, he was always really a hard worker."
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