UFC Fight Night: Thiago Santos vs. Glover Teixeira Betting Guide (2020)
After a five-fight run on Fight Island that concluded with Khabib’s win over Justin Gaethje and subsequent retirement from the sport, the UFC has headed back to its home in Las Vegas for another five-fight run, this one at the UFC Apex.
In what will be the second fight of their most recent stint at the APEX, two veteran light heavyweights will face-off in the main event as both seek a potential final shot at the division’s belt.
While the card feature’s a host of solid fights in the lead up to the main, let’s take a closer look at Thiago Santos vs. Glover Teixeira and see where we can spot the edge.
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Thiago Santos (21-7-0) vs. Glover Teixeira (31-7-0)
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When Thiago Santos was picked up by the UFC in the summer of 2013, not much was known of the 6’2″ Marreta (The Sledgehammer) as he had never fought outside of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Amassing a 13-6 record since, Santos has picked up wins against some of the best big men currently fighting including Kevin Holland, Eryk Anders, and current light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz.
The last time we saw Santos inside the octagon was over a year ago, which was his first shot at a title since joining the UFC nearly 10 years ago. A back and forth fight with one of the best pound-for-pound best fighters to ever step inside the octagon, Jon Jones, ended in a split decision loss for Santos, who was a large underdog.
Joining the UFC just one year before Santos, Glover Teixeria has also become a mainstay for the company, amassing a record of 14-5 since his first fight in 2012. Like Santos, Teixiera’s one shot at a belt came against Jones, his in 2014 at UFC 172, also a loss via (unanimous) decision.
Teixeira comes into this one on quite the tear, having not lost since the summer of 2018, picking up wins in his four fights since with only one going to the judges. The last time we saw him fight was a TKO victory over Anthony Smith in May, a fight that earned him Performance of the Night bonuses.
Bottom Line
With Jones now vacating the light heavyweight belt and for all intents and purposes not in-play for either fighter should they win, one has to think the winner is on a fast track to face Blachowicz for the belt.
Prior to the Jones fight, just one of Santos fights had gone the distance since 2015 and for Teixeira, just one of his last four. As two veterans of the game, however, just one of their last combined ten fights have ended in the first round, show each of theirs intent to feel out their opponents early.
With so much on the line for each in their quest for another shot at a title, I expect the same kind of start.
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TJ Perun is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from TJ, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers.