UFC 169: Jones vs Teixeira - Fight Card Updates
Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:43 am
LAS VEGAS -- UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones' next title defense will come against No. 1 contender Glover Teixeira, likely on Feb. 1 in Newark, N.J.
UFC president Dana White confirmed Jones' next opponent to ESPN.com on Wednesday. According to White, Jones personally requested to fight Teixeira next.
"That's what the champ wants," White said. "We'll probably have that fight on the Super Bowl card in New Jersey."
Jones (19-1) broke the UFC record for consecutive light heavyweight title defenses at UFC 165 this past weekend in Toronto, defeating Alexander Gustafsson via unanimous decision for his sixth title defense.
The bout was an instant classic and Jones' toughest title defense to date. Demand for an immediate rematch was high as soon as the unanimous scores were announced.
Jones, however, elected to pursue a seventh title defense against Teixeira, while promising a rematch with Gustafsson immediately after.
"I said before the [Gustafsson] fight my sights were set on breaking the record," Jones said in a statement released by the UFC. "I want to crush the record. I want to beat the record so bad it can never be broken.
"I'm going to fight Glover and I will answer all the critics about the Gustafsson fight. I will fight Gustafsson after I fight Glover. I won the fight but I look at it as a blemish on my record because some people think I didn't. I promise you, he will be next."
Gustafsson (15-2) will instead face another opponent yet to be determined in his native country of Sweden, according to White.
"Around the same time of the Jones-Teixeira fight, Gustafsson will fight in Sweden," White said. "I don't have an official date for that yet."
Jones was hospitalized after his win over Gustafsson at the Air Canada Centre. The 26-year-old champion was released the following day, and a follow-up MRI revealed no serious injury.
The Ontario Athletic Commission did place Jones on a 60-day medical suspension following this past weekend's title fight.
Teixeira (22-2) will carry a 20-fight win streak into the cage against Jones. The Brazilian is coming off a first-round TKO victory over Ryan Bader at UFC Fight Night 28 on Sept. 4.
http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/97253 ... r-teixeira
UFC president Dana White confirmed Jones' next opponent to ESPN.com on Wednesday. According to White, Jones personally requested to fight Teixeira next.
"That's what the champ wants," White said. "We'll probably have that fight on the Super Bowl card in New Jersey."
Jones (19-1) broke the UFC record for consecutive light heavyweight title defenses at UFC 165 this past weekend in Toronto, defeating Alexander Gustafsson via unanimous decision for his sixth title defense.
The bout was an instant classic and Jones' toughest title defense to date. Demand for an immediate rematch was high as soon as the unanimous scores were announced.
Jones, however, elected to pursue a seventh title defense against Teixeira, while promising a rematch with Gustafsson immediately after.
"I said before the [Gustafsson] fight my sights were set on breaking the record," Jones said in a statement released by the UFC. "I want to crush the record. I want to beat the record so bad it can never be broken.
"I'm going to fight Glover and I will answer all the critics about the Gustafsson fight. I will fight Gustafsson after I fight Glover. I won the fight but I look at it as a blemish on my record because some people think I didn't. I promise you, he will be next."
Gustafsson (15-2) will instead face another opponent yet to be determined in his native country of Sweden, according to White.
"Around the same time of the Jones-Teixeira fight, Gustafsson will fight in Sweden," White said. "I don't have an official date for that yet."
Jones was hospitalized after his win over Gustafsson at the Air Canada Centre. The 26-year-old champion was released the following day, and a follow-up MRI revealed no serious injury.
The Ontario Athletic Commission did place Jones on a 60-day medical suspension following this past weekend's title fight.
Teixeira (22-2) will carry a 20-fight win streak into the cage against Jones. The Brazilian is coming off a first-round TKO victory over Ryan Bader at UFC Fight Night 28 on Sept. 4.
http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/97253 ... r-teixeira