Glover Teixeira fulfills promise to win UFC Light Heavyweight title at age 42

MANILA, Philippines — "The promise is done."

That is exactly what 42-year old Brazilian-American said not soon after he bagged the Ultimate Fighting Championship Light Heavyweight title from erstwhile champion Jan Blachowicz to a packed Etihad Arena crowd in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Teixeira, two days after he turned 42 years old last October 28, forced Blachowicz to tap out following a rear naked choke in the second of what was supposed to be a five-round bout in the main event of UFC 267.

Teixiera gave Blachowicz trouble from the very first round when he took him to the ground and pinned him. 

In the second round, Blachowicz was able to defend the first two takedown attempts by Teixiera while landing some strikes. But two left hooks wobbled Blachowicz and when Teixeira mounted him, it was just a matter of time. Referee Mark Goddard called the end of the match at the 3:02 mark.

"Twenty years, baby. I have no words to describe. I was thinking of so many things to say but what am I going to say? And I am 42 years old and am breaking the rules," gushed Teixeira post-match. 

It took 20 years of dreaming and seven years for another shot at championship gold (he lost to then champion Jon Jones in May of 2014). But in the end, as Brazilian-American mixed martial arts fighter Glover Teixeira promised to the world, he was leaving Abu Dhabi, a world champion.

During an interview with philstar.com a day before his 42nd birthday, Teixeira postulated that he might get lucky come Sunday. “Seven years to get back to a title fight? Seven is a perfect number,” said Teixeira. “This fight could go the distance. We both have knockout power. I have the most submissions at the light heavyweight while Jan has knockout power. I gotta bring the fight and finish it early.”

Finish it early he did and now, Teixeira is ready for a parade in his new hometown of Bethel, Connecticut.

Added Teixeira to philstar.com, "Winning this fight and winning a championship will mean a lot to me. It took 20 years since I started training and fighting to chase it and now I am here."

Teixeira is the second oldest man to win a UFC title. The oldest is Randy Couture who at age 43 took the heavyweight title.